Got guns? Waterloo Regional Police gathers unwanted firearms

Waterloo Regional Police areonce again collecting unwanted firearms, with an amnesty program for people who bring in unlicensed weapons.

The program runs the full month of November.

"Most of the calls we've been receiving from the community are from people who have inherited these firearms orhave been willed these items," said Michael Haffner, inspector with the WRPS.

"They're really in a situation where they don't know what to do with them," Haffner said.

Theregion's firearms and prohibited weapons amnesty programhas been running since 2015. This year, police have gathered a total of22 firearms, including nineshotguns, eightrifles,and fivehandguns. They've also collected 1100 rounds of ammunition, seven pellet guns, and a conductive energy weapon.

"It's agood opportunity to get these items off the street and dispose of them to protect our community," Haffnersaid. "We don't want them to be in bad hands to commit further criminal offences."

After collecting afirearm, police identify the weaponby scanning the serial number and doing a background check.

Haffnersaid policestill have 18 appointments to visit people forcollectionsthis month.

Although the program ends in November, Haffner said he wants individualsto continuecalling police when theycome across unwanted weapons.