HARRISBURG, Pa. - Harrisburg Police have taken hundreds of guns off the streets in the last three years. It was a mission put out by the police commissioner to try and lower the rate of violent crime.
Since 2016, 646 illegal guns were taken off the street by Harrisburg police.
"Our department has taken 646 opportunities to injure citizens of the city with some kind of violence," said Capt. Gabriel Olivera.
While officers have always been seizing illegal guns, the mission made this more of a collaborative effort. Members of the department meet monthly with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office to go over every gun case in the city. They've also been able to get bail increased for people caught with an illegal firearm.
"We are just going to do everything we can do to make sure elderly people and little kids will be able to walk the streets safely without being in fear of being robbed, getting shot, or anything like that," said Commissioner Thomas Carter.
The Department has seen violent crime rates drop by about 10 percent and believe the guns they've taken have played a role in the decline.
Commissioner Carter himself helped get some of these illegal guns off the streets and says he will not rest on this mission until they have done everything they can possibly do to make Harrisburg as safe as can be.
"The people of Harrisburg deserve better," said Commissioner Carter.
Harrisburg Police say they have considered a gun buyback program, but say they types of guns they're after are never the one's turned in.
