Montclair to Host County Gun Buy-Back

Montclair will be teaming up with Essex County to get guns off the street.

The township and county will be holding a gun buy-back in February where anyone can bring in their guns for cash. The gun buy-back was announced last month soon after the school shooting of 20 children and seven adults in Newtown, Conn.

Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson initially presented the gun buy-back only for Montclair after an anonymous resident committed $10,000 to buy back weapons. 

However, the county has since reached out to the township to hold joint countywide gun buy-back. 

“The county though it was a great idea,” said Montclair Business Manager Marc Dashield. “And they decided that they wanted to get involved in the whole process.”

The program will now additionally include East Orange, Newark, Orange and other nearby cities.  

“Anything that gets the guns off the street is a good thing,” said Jackson at the council conference on Tuesday. 

The county’s inclusion will also bring added funds to buy back even more weapons. 

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and state Attorney General will contribute about $50,000, said Dashield. However, Dashield said he is now not sure whether the anonymous Montclair donors will still make their donation for the gun-buy back. 

The weapons buy-back will be in mid-February. The location has yet to be announced, but Dashield said it will likely be in a Montclair house of worship.