Nassau buyback gets guns, 100 arrests

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and top law enforcement officials announced Tuesday that a two month safe-streets operation has yielded dozens of guns and more than 100 arrests.

"Utilizing both state grant funds and asset forfeiture funds, our officers have made one of the safest counties in the nation even safer," Mangano said at a news conference behind police headquarters in Mineola. "Using intelligence-led policing in conjunction with partnerships among our law enforcement agencies, we can and have made a tremendous difference in the quality of life enjoyed by our residents."

Over the two months, law enforcement agencies throughout the county, used the Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Teams initiative and forfeiture and state Operation Impact funds to conduct a Gun Buyback program, a weeklong warrant sweep and a DNA collection. The effort yielded 87 guns, 100 warrant arrests and 125 DNA samples from those who failed to comply with court orders to provide them.

In addition, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said there were 201 other related arrests, 164 case reports, 547 traffic tickets, 106 appearance tickets, 388 field interviews and three gun arrests.

District Attorney Kathleen Rice praised the program and reiterated her call for the state to enact mandatory DNA testing for anyone convicted of a crime. "New York is way behind other states on this," she said.