The Virgin Islands Police Department’s innovative ‘Cash for Guns’ buyback program successfully removed 31 firearms from potential criminal circulation during a recent event in St Thomas.

 

The anonymous, no-questions-asked initiative encouraged community members to surrender weapons for financial compensation. The collected firearms included one shotgun, seven rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a pellet gun, and a flare gun.

 

Organizers invested over $8,000 in the program, prioritizing community safety by providing a straightforward mechanism for residents to dispose of potentially dangerous weapons.

 

 The program’s anonymous nature aims to reduce barriers to participation, allowing individuals to surrender firearms without fear of legal repercussions.

 

The success of the St Thomas event has prompted plans for a follow-up program in the St John District. The next “Cash for Guns” buyback will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Cruz Bay St John Annex Legislature Building from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.