Hundreds of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been turned into police services across Saskatchewan under a month-long amnesty program.
The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) displayed some of the 241 guns surrendered.
“What we think this program does is reduce the availability for criminals to access firearms,” Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said.
“So if there’s a property crime or break-in, there’s less likelihood a criminal will encounter a firearm.”
Police take the guns to a metal shop to be cut up and destroyed.
Cooper said most are long rifles and shotguns turned in by legitimate owners who no longer want to store them. Some replica guns and modified firearms were surrendered.
Firearms police struggle to trace, known as ghost guns, are a growing problem but aren’t commonly surrendered in the amnesty program, according to Cooper.
“Throughout the year we seize, in Saskatoon, 600 firearms — outside of the amnesty program — during investigations, we are seeing more and more ghost guns that are difficult to trace,” Cooper said.
Of the 241 guns surrendered in the province, 81 came through SPS.
Seventy-nine guns were turned into Saskatchewan RCMP and 48 to the Regina Police Service.