Guns for Gift Cards
Guns for Gift Cards is part of KPD’s continuing efforts to reduce gun violence in the community and to reduce the likelihood of accidental injuries and deaths involving firearms by helping Kirkland community members get rid of unwanted guns. Any firearm traded in is one less gun that may be involved in a tragic accident, suicide, or stolen and later used in a violent crime.
Statistics
- Nationally, almost 60% of gun deaths are suicides (CDC, 2017)
- Firearm suicide attempts result in death 85% of the time, compared with 3% of suicide attempts by drug overdose (Harvard Public Health, 2016)
- 79% of incidents where a firearm was stolen, the firearms were unsecured inside a residence or vehicle at the time of theft (Kirkland Gun Crime Analysis, 2021)
Upcoming Guns for Gift Cards Events
Check this Page for Future Events
Previous Events
The Last Event was Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
At the Kirkland Justice Center, 11740 NE 118th Street, Kirkland 98034 View Map. Please note there are security cameras at the Kirkland Justice Center for public safety.
KPD Guns for Gift Cards Guidelines
No registration is required. Proof of Kirkland residency, such as a utility bill, is required to participate. Police staff will only visually check an address to confirm Kirkland residency. Participant identity is otherwise anonymous, as personnel will not log any identifying information.
Step by step instructions:
- While traveling westbound towards the Kirkland Justice Center (KJC) on NE 118th St, turn right into the first/eastern-most entrance to the KJC.
- Follow signs and/or personnel instructions to travel through the parking lot until directed to stop near the Police entrance of the KJC.
- Residents are instructed to stay in their cars.
- Residents should bring their unwanted and unloaded firearms to the KJC in the trunk of their car, or if they do not have a trunk, in the backseat, or otherwise out of arms reach.
- Residents will be required to show proof of Kirkland residency – it can be a utility bill, ID, driver’s license, or other means showing a City of Kirkland address. Police staff will only visually check an address to confirm Kirkland residency. Participant identity is otherwise anonymous, as personnel will not log any identifying information.
- An officer will remove the gun(s) from their vehicle.
- Limits:
Community members will generally be limited to submitting 10 eligible firearms in exchange for gift cards; however, onsite staff has the discretion to increase or decrease that limit based on the firearms being turned in, the amount of participation from the public, and the overall desire to safely dispose of unwanted firearms.
-
In exchange, residents will receive a Visa gift card based on what type and how many guns they relinquished:
- Non-functioning firearms/receivers; pellet guns* $25.00
- Bolt-action rifles and shotguns* $100.00
- Handguns* $200.00
- Rifles (AR or AK style rifles)* $250.00
*Definitions
- Handgun (Pistol): originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having: a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s); and a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).
- Rifle: Designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger.
- Shotgun: Designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.
- Non-Functioning Firearm: A Rifle, handgun, or shotgun that does not appear to be in working condition due to broken, corrosion, rust, or otherwise complete, but non-functioning, or an AR-15/AK-47 lower receiver with trigger group and buffer tube (no upper receiver).
- Ghost Gun: A ghost gun is any privately made firearm (PMF) that appears to be a fully functioning firearm, produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, and without a serial number placed by a licensed manufacturer at the time the firearm was produced. (3D printed, Harlots, Liberators, Polymer80s).
- AR: An AR-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Stoner AR-15 design.
- AK: An AK is any one of a series of semi-automatic rifles based on the original design of Mikhail Kalashnikov.
- Receivers: Most lower receivers will be accepted. On-site, staff have the ability to limit or deny any receiver being traded in.
Non-functioning Firearms
- Non-functioning firearms are welcome. However, onsite staff has the discretion to decline to accept types or amounts of nonfunctioning firearms.
9. The purpose of this event is to remove unwanted firearms from community members who no longer desire them in their homes. Decisions regarding this event will give weight to that overarching purpose. Event staff have sole discretion about any and all firearms submitted, including determinations as to what constitutes a firearm, the amount of gift cards given in exchange for firearms, and who may participate. Staff assigned to this event have the authority to interpret these rules should a conflict arise. Once all gift cards have been handed out community members may still turn in unwanted firearms until the event ends, however, they will not receive a gift card for their firearm(s). We will not issue any IOU’s, or otherwise promise to make any payments for guns once all the gift cards have been distributed.
FAQ
Are 3D printed guns or ‘ghost guns’ accepted at the exchange?
Generally, not. We will only accept 3D-printed guns if the lower receiver is the only 3D printed part and the rest of the gun appears to be fully functional and safe to fire. Discretion as to the legitimacy of the “ghost gun” will be given to the firearms staff at the event. We will not be accepting any guns made with parts commonly found at home improvement stores (gas pipe barrels, mouse trap hammers, etc).
How do you know whether or not a gun that’s turned in is stolen, or linked to a crime?
All relinquished firearms are checked in a national database to see if they are stolen or have been used in any crimes. If the weapon is stolen or determined to have been used in the commission of a crime, the firearm will be held as evidence and not destroyed unless and until its evidentiary value has dissipated.
What happens to the relinquished firearms?
All firearms will be checked to see if they are stolen or have been used in any crimes. Firearms that are not stolen or linked to other crimes will be destroyed as part of KPD’s annual firearm destruction process.
If you receive stolen guns, do the owners get them back?
Officers and Evidence Technicians check each firearm’s serial number in a national database to ensure none are reported as stolen or are linked to a crime. If possible, firearms that are reported stolen will be returned to their rightful owners. Detectives will work with outside agencies as necessary to transfer custody of any firearms that are linked to crimes.
Do I have to be a Kirkland resident to participate?
To participate in a Guns for Gift Cards exchange, a person must show proof of Kirkland residency such as a government-issued ID, utility bill, vehicle registration, or other form of proof of residency acceptable at the discretion of the onsite staff. Police staff will only visually check an address to confirm Kirkland residency. Participant identity is otherwise anonymous, as personnel will not log any identifying information. The purpose of providing your utility bill, ID, or registration is solely for the purpose of establishing that you are a resident of Kirkland.
People who reside in Kirkland who have unwanted firearms may turn them in at the Kirkland Justice Center during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, all year round. However, they would not be eligible to receive a gift card in exchange for their guns.
Do you accept ammunition?
We can accept ammunition, however, that is not eligible for a gift card.
Background
On April 19, 2022, the City Council approved moving forward with a gun exchange program for Kirkland residents. This program is funded by the firearm safety element of Police Prop 1, approved by Kirkland voters in 2018. The program aims to reduce gun violence within the community and to reduce the likelihood of accidental injuries and suicides by firearms by providing residents an opportunity to voluntarily relinquish ownership of unwanted firearms in exchange for pre-paid gift cards.