St. Croix Police Chief Christopher Howell is asking the Crucian community to help raise money to make a gun buyback program a reality on St. Croix.
Earlier this month a gun buyback program on St. Thomas was deemed a success, taking 22 revolvers, 17 pistols, four rifles, five shot guns and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition off that island’s streets.
The owners of Southern Rent-to-Own in Estate Castle Coakley last week pledged $5,000 in start-up funds for the buyback program and challenged the community to donate an additional $5,000, bringing the total funds earmarked for the program to $10,000.
Howell is now doing his part to help realize the goal.
“The gun buyback program recently held on St. Thomas was a resounding success, taking 48 deadly weapons off the streets,” Howell said. “I want to duplicate that program on St. Croix and I am appealing to the community to match the $5,000 already donated.”
Howell is soliciting donations to purchase surveillance equipment for the Special Operations Bureau, too. That unit that consists of the Special Operations Task Force and the K9 unit, which conducts the highly successful Saturated Patrols, featured on the locally filmed and produced “COPS VI” television show.
The Southern Rent-to-Own partners also pledged $5,000 as a matching donation for the Special Operations surveillance equipment fund. Chief Howell said the community is well aware of the success of the Saturated Patrol team.
“The team needs its own surveillance equipment," Howell said. We do partner with other agencies to get the specialized equipment we need; however, when we want to move at a moment’s notice it is better to have our own.”
Since announcing the challenge, Hovensa subcontractor Wyatt VI has pledged an additional $2,500 toward the gun buy-back program.
“This is a great start,” Howell said.
The St. Croix Foundation has agreed to be the fiduciary of the two accounts. To donate, please call the St. Croix Foundation at 340-773-9898.
