City Council says gun buyback is no cure-all, but ‘it can’t do harm’ | #citycouncil

Police Chief Michael Kochis approached the City Council with the concept last week, and it appeared to receive a warm welcome.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Council Member Brian Pinkston told The Daily Progress. “I really applaud the chief for being creative in this way.”

Kochis emphasized that the program would be “just one part of a whole community approach to address gun violence.”

That approach, he said, would include redeploying resources to areas disproportionately affected by violent crime and working with “other community stakeholders to ensure meaningful partnerships in meeting the common goal of reducing violent crime within the city of Charlottesville.”

There is little evidence that buyback programs significantly reduce shootings, homicides or suicides.

Natalie Oschrin, who is likely to be elected to City Council after winning the Democratic primary on June 20, acknowledged that fact when asked about the proposal.

“If the city does move forward with a buyback program, we cannot stop there,” Oschrin told The Daily Progress. “We still have to get at the root causes of gun violence, like housing, job and food insecurity, and push for afterschool activities and mentorship programs that have proven to be effective in reducing gun violence, especially among youths.”

There have been five homicide cases reported in Charlottesville since January, a number that eclipses every year since at least 2017, according to current and former law enforcement authorities. Charlottesville police said earlier this year they were responding to nearly one shots-fired call every single day.

Talking with The Daily Progress, Kochis said the proposal seemed to have a good amount of support from City council. “The purpose is to get unwanted guns off the street so they’re not stolen or fall into the wrong hands.”

He also stressed that of the five homicide cases, none were random. The perpetrator and victim had some type of relationship in each instance.

“Every one have been solved, every one suspect has been put in jail and is being prosecuted, and that has been done in very short order,” Kochis said.

Asked what else Charlottesville police are doing to curb the violence, the chief focused on community outreach.

“When you build relationships you build trust, and when you have trust people will start telling you things,” he said. “When addressing crime we really need to look at it as a coproduction between police and the community.”

Council Member Michael Payne acknowledged during last week’s meeting that a buyback program is not a cure-all for gun violence.

“But it can’t do harm,” Payne said. “And it can also start community conversations, conversations in neighborhoods.”

Pinkston said that if there is a buyback program, he understands it would be funded by a nonprofit group that would partner with the police department.

“But to be honest even if the city had to pay money, that would be worth it,” he said.  

Pinkston referred to the buyback as one possible tool to alleviate the scourge of gun violence in the community in recent months.

“We need to make sure the decisions we make are backed by strong data that proves effectiveness, not just generates positive feelings,” Oschrin said.

In order for the program to come to fruition, the council would need to pass an ordinance allowing for a gun buyback program. That vote is scheduled for July 17.