Lansing — Michigan State Police will be required to destroy guns collected during community buybacks or other efforts, under legislation signed into law this week by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
State police in 2024 acknowledged that a previous disposal method destroyed only the frame or receiver of the firearm. A private company was recycling and selling the other parts, The New York Times reported.
State police last March announced that they would destroy entire guns turned over by local police departments. Now that policy has been written into law.
“Our current practice of destroying all parts of the firearm will remain the standard now and for the future,” said Col. James Grady II, director of the state police.
State police handled more than 11,000 guns in 2023, spokesperson Shanon Banner said.
In March last year, the state police said it would begin using a scrap metal processing facility in Jackson to dispose of excess firearms collected at buy back events.
“This new method will improve public safety by ensuring all parts of a firearm are destroyed, never to be used again, and continue to meet the ATF’s acceptable destruction procedures, as we always have,” MSP’s director, Col. James F. Grady II, said in a statement at the time.
The Rev. Chris Yaw of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Southfield said gun destruction after buybacks is what “Michiganders want and expect.”
Yaw’s church in suburban Detroit has collected hundreds of guns in exchange for gift cards to area stores. He said the line of cars was 2 miles long during an event in 2022.
“Guns said to be destroyed should be completely destroyed,” said Yaw.
Recently, a new law passed in Michigan requires the destruction of guns that are turned in during community buyback events. This means that any firearms collected during these events will no longer be resold or returned to the public.
While some may argue that this law goes against the idea of recycling and reusing firearms, supporters believe that it is a crucial step in preventing these weapons from falling into the wrong hands. By destroying these guns, we can ensure that they will not be used in any future crimes or accidents.
This decision has sparked a debate among residents, with some praising the law for its focus on public safety, while others criticize it for potentially wasting valuable resources. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, one thing is clear: the destruction of guns turned in during community buybacks is now mandatory in Michigan.
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