Weekend gun buyback planned in in East Patchogue

Suffolk County police on Tuesday announced plans for a weekend gun buyback in East Patchogue as part of a broader initiative to get guns off the street.

Police Commissioner Timothy Sini said the buyback — scheduled for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South Country Ambulance Co., 1309 Montauk Hwy., East Patchogue — aims to help prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals.

“This is an opportunity for folks who have guns that they want to get out of their house, that they want to get off the street — they can sell these guns to the Suffolk County Police Department and our partners here, no questions asked,” Sini said.

Funds for the buyback come from local community groups, including South Country Ambulance.

The ambulance service’s chief, Gregory Miglino, praised Sini’s efforts to combat gang crime in Brentwood in recent weeks and said the buyback is “one more endeavor” to make the community safer.

“We could think of no better way to spend our money than to try to reduce violence or anything that would result in people getting injured or hurt by firearms,” Miglino said.

From 2013 to 2015, the police department has obtained more than 400 weapons through buybacks, Sini said.

Guns turned in on Saturday need to be unloaded and in a plastic or paper bag or box, police said.

Gift cards will be distributed in the following amounts: $150 for assault weapons, $100 for handguns, $75 for rifles and shotguns, and $25 for nonworking or antique firearms, police said.

Each person will receive payment for only up to three weapons, police said, and licensed gun dealers and active or retired law-enforcement individuals are not eligible.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.