Laura Steiner, The Milton Reporter
The Halton Police have announced the upcoming commencement of their firearms and weapons amnesty program, set to begin on June 1, 2023. This initiative provides individuals and businesses residing or operating within the Halton region with a safe and anonymous opportunity to surrender unwanted or illegally-owned firearms, weapons, and ammunition to the police without fear of facing charges for their possession.
The amnesty program aims to foster a safer community by encouraging everyone to actively participate in removing unneeded or unregistered firearms and weapons from their homes and businesses. Superintendent Al Albano emphasized the importance of community involvement in making the region safer, stating, “By removing unwanted or unregistered firearms and weapons from locations such as homes and businesses, the chance of them falling into the hands of criminals and being used in violent crimes is eliminated.”
Under this amnesty, not only traditional firearms but any weapon that may pose a threat to public safety can be surrendered. The items include imitation firearms and air guns, switchblades, butterfly knives, pepper spray, nunchakus (nunchucks), shurikens (throwing stars), push daggers, knife combs, crossbows, spiked wristbands, batons, and blowguns.
The Halton Police encourages individuals in possession of these items to take advantage of the amnesty period and safely surrender them, thus contributing to a more secure community. By removing these potentially dangerous weapons from circulation, the risk of them being used unlawfully is significantly reduced.