The mayor’s office, law enforcement agencies and Circle K are joining forces to curb violent crime in the city by trading firearms for fuel.
 
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden announced Monday the “Gas for Guns” program, which provides Circle K gas cards worth $50 to $200 in exchange for unsecured guns with no questions asked.
 
“Unsecured guns can pose a real danger to the entire community,” Holden said in a news release. “Every year crimes are committed with unsecured guns that have been stolen or used without the owners’ permission.”
 
The program offers cards of increased value for bigger guns. A handgun smaller than .380 caliber is worth $50, a .380 caliber or larger gun is worth $100 and an “assault style” rifle is worth $200.
 
The city is offering a total of $400,000 of gas, using funds provided by a donation from Circle K and matching state funds from police drug and asset seizures.
 
The guns can be traded in on Oct. 23 at four local churches: Greater Beech Grove Baptist Church, Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, Greater Sixty Aid Baptist Church and Healing Place Church.
 
The exchanges will occur from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until the gas cards run out.
 
Officers will accept the guns without asking for names or how the weapons were acquired. There is a two-gun maximum.
 
Other cities across the country, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., have pursued similar programs.
 
Those uncomfortable with turning in guns at one of the churches can call either the Baton Rouge Police Department or East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office for home pickup, although they will forfeit the gas cards.
 
“Getting illegal guns off the street is one step our community can take together to reduce violent crime in Baton Rouge,” District Attorney Hillar Moore said in the release. “Programs like this have been highly successful in other cities, and we hope anyone with an unsecured weapon will take advantage of this opportunity to turn it in.”
 
 
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Contact Matthew Albright at
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