By ReShonda Tate
Members from several local community organizations were on hand to throw their support behind the City of Houston and Harris County as they continue the fight to get guns off the streets.
In partnership with the Houston Police Department, officers will conduct another Gun Buy Back Operation in the parking lot of the Westchase Park & Ride METRO (Alief) in the heart of the districts of Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas and U.S. Congressman Al Green. Depending on the type of weapon, citizens turning in firearms will be rewarded with a gift card in the amounts from $50.00 to $200.00. All firearms will be retrieved with a no-question-asked policy by law enforcement. Funding for this program was provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
City of Houston and Harris County leaders have joined together to invest over $2 million in funds into upcoming gun buyback events. And they’re getting financial support from local community partners.
“On behalf of the One Council, a conglomerate of the local chapters of Phi Beta Sigma in the Houston area, we made a financial contribution to be used toward marketing and promoting this buyback initiative,” said Cliff McBean, president of the Fort Bend Chapter of the fraternity. “Our goal is to assist in giving as many people as possible an opportunity to get those guns off the streets.”