Gun buyback programs seem to be the latest way for municipalities to feel warm and fuzzy, that they’re doing something effective to stop violence by people using firearms unlawfully.

The usual buyback transaction has the municipality shaking down the locals for monetary or in-kind donations.  In-kind donations are paid directly or used to buy something like fixed-value gift cards.  The gift cards are given to the people turning in firearms.

I’ve often wondered about something.

When the guns are turned in, often with “no questions asked,” do the cops run them through NCIC right then and there with the turner-inner present to see if they’ve been reported stolen or have been associated with a crime?  If not, if the guns are just destroyed, there is no opportunity for the victim owner to have his filched firearm returned.  Likewise, the cops may be missing an opportunity to hook up a bad guy.

Because the gift cards are anonymous and have a dollar value, what prevents a gun thief who turned in a gun and got a $100 gift card from simply selling the gift card at a cents-on-the-dollar discount?

Not surprisingly, Arizona has passed a law which bans the cops from simply taking and destroying the guns.   The Arizona law will require the seized guns to be sold to FFL licensed gun dealers.  That makes some sense.  It gives the cops time to run the guns through NCIC, and it generates revenue for the municipality.