‘It’s always good to take guns off the street, but this program has not been identified as a policing priority in the province of Ontario,’ says chief
Local police are joining other organizations in opting out of a federal firearm initiative that is being seen as ineffective.
The South Simcoe Police Service is choosing not to participate in the federal government’s buyback program for assault-style firearms, following approval from the Bradford West Gwillimbury/Innisfil Police Services Board during their regular meeting at the South Division in Bradford on Jan. 28.
“It’s always good to take guns off the street, but this program has not been identified as a policing priority in the province of Ontario,” Chief John Van Dyke said, pointing out that Premier Doug Ford and others have criticized the initiative.
During a press conference on Jan. 21, Ford accused the federal government of “focusing on the wrong group” and added “I support law-abiding hunters and gun owners.”
In September, federal Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree confirmed that the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would not be taking part in the program. On Oct. 1, the Ontario Association of Chief’s of Police (OACP) stated they would neither endorse nor facilitate it.
“This program is not a policing or public safety priority in Ontario,” read the OACP statement.
This means there won’t be any provincial coordination for the federal assault-style firearms compensation program (ASFCP), which was designed for gun owners to voluntarily surrender prohibited firearms for compensation.
This follows changes to federal laws aimed at reducing access to assault-style weapons; since May 2020, over 2,500 makes and models have been banned.
This may not effectively address gun violence or types used in crimes though.
A study conducted by National Police Federation in February 2022 on illegal arms trafficking and gun crimes noted that “high-volume” smuggling from the United States presents “major long-term risks” to public safety.
Additonally, Reuters reported exclusive data showing that 73 percent of all traced guns used in crimes across Ontario originated from the U. S.; this figure increased to 85 percent for traced handguns.
“Overwhelming evidence shows most crime guns in Ontario are smuggled across the border from our neighbors to the south and not owned by law-abiding gun owners,” Van Dyke stated. “Our community expects us to focus on serious and violent crime and repeat offenders because that’s where the real public safety issue lies.”
This sentiment was echoed in a Jan. 26 statement from Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.
The police estimate there are only around 500 guns locally that might qualify for this program; however, calls for service surged past 33,000 in 2025 with more serious crime rising. Thus local police don’t currently have enough resources to implement a buyback initiative according to Van Dyke.
“Our workload is not diminishing. It is only increasing,” he mentioned. “We certainly are not staffed adequately to undertake a program like this.”
Diving into an online meeting with officials from federal safety ministry months ago, Van Dyke recalled how some suggested having officers who were injured temporarily off front-line duty manage collections.
“You can’t do that,” he explained, noting those officers wouldn’t have use-of-force options available. “It’s not an option.” The chief emphasized it’s crucial for trained uniformed officers equipped with weapons to collect firearms safely. Citing potential issues like whether or how well existing systems would mesh with federal management software-and what extra training might be needed-Van Dyke pointed out concerns over compensation too.
He mentioned previous discussions indicated individual negotiations between each police service and federal authorities; smaller services don’t carry much bargaining leverage compared with larger ones. Nationwide amnesty for surrendering affected firearms runs from Jan. 19 through Oct. 30; after which he foresees enforcement being expected yet questioned how it would be funded along with whether an already burdened judicial system could handle further caseloads. The government initiated a six-week pilot project starting Sept. 23 aimed at collecting illegal firearms through buybacks held at Cape Breton, N. S., hoping they’d gather up about two hundred but only managed twenty-five instead. “It is my belief and also shared among senior leadership team we should opt-out,” declared Chief Van Dyke.“If future adjustments make it manageable then we’ll reassess at that time.” Even though they won’t directly handle collection efforts, the service remains committed toward collaborating cooperatively alongside other law enforcement agencies plus various governmental levels regarding public safety issues relating lawful firearm regulations. More details concerning buyback initiatives can be found on website operated by federal government.
Source link
“You can’t do that,” he explained, noting those officers wouldn’t have use-of-force options available. “It’s not an option.” The chief emphasized it’s crucial for trained uniformed officers equipped with weapons to collect firearms safely. Citing potential issues like whether or how well existing systems would mesh with federal management software-and what extra training might be needed-Van Dyke pointed out concerns over compensation too.
He mentioned previous discussions indicated individual negotiations between each police service and federal authorities; smaller services don’t carry much bargaining leverage compared with larger ones. Nationwide amnesty for surrendering affected firearms runs from Jan. 19 through Oct. 30; after which he foresees enforcement being expected yet questioned how it would be funded along with whether an already burdened judicial system could handle further caseloads. The government initiated a six-week pilot project starting Sept. 23 aimed at collecting illegal firearms through buybacks held at Cape Breton, N. S., hoping they’d gather up about two hundred but only managed twenty-five instead. “It is my belief and also shared among senior leadership team we should opt-out,” declared Chief Van Dyke.“If future adjustments make it manageable then we’ll reassess at that time.” Even though they won’t directly handle collection efforts, the service remains committed toward collaborating cooperatively alongside other law enforcement agencies plus various governmental levels regarding public safety issues relating lawful firearm regulations. More details concerning buyback initiatives can be found on website operated by federal government.
Source link
