Saying that lives will be saved as a result, Chief of Police Charles H. Ramsey today announced the Metropolitan Police Department took in 1,787 firearms on Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the first phase of " Operation Save A Life ," the District of Columbia's gun buy-back program.

Joined by Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Erik Christian and officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Ramsey displayed the confiscated weapons during an afternoon news conference at the MPD's Maurice T. Turner Jr. Institute of Police Science. He said that while most of the weapons turned in were revolvers and long guns, the Department did collect several assault weapons and numerous 9 mm. and other semi-automatic handguns.

"We will never know for certain just how many lives will be saved by getting these firearms off our streets and out of our homes," the Chief said. "But we do know that we have significantly reduced the risk for accidental shootings and suicides and the chances that some relatively minor disputes will escalate into shootings and homicides in our communities."

Mayor Anthony A. Williams said the gun buy-back is just one part of the District's overall strategy to reduce gun violence and build safe neighborhoods. "We must do everything we can to end the scourge of gun violence that is taking too many lives and tearing apart too many communities. This gun buy-back is another important step toward that goal," the Mayor said.

Ramsey said the Police Department will work with the ATF to test-fire and trace all of the recovered weapons. The ATF is providing the MPD with new computer technology that will allow the Department to access ATF's Washington Regional Crime Gun Center in order to trace firearms more quickly and efficiently. If a weapon is found to be associated with a previous crime, detectives will investigate the new lead and work to prosecute those who were involved, Ramsey said. In addition, the ATF will produce a detailed report on the weapons seized to help officials better understand gun trafficking and possession patterns in the D.C. metropolitan area.

After the weapons have been test-fired and analyzed, they will be melted down at an area foundry, Ramsey announced. He said the MPD may keep a small number of unusual weapons for training or analytical purposes.

The MPD spent $109,250 for the 1,787 firearms collected during the first phase of "Operation Save A Life." The Department paid $100 for each assault weapon and semi-automatic handgun, and $50 for each revolver, rifle or shotgun. The District's buy-back program is funded by $250,000 in District funds and $100,000 from HUD's BuyBack America Initiative.

"The past weekend, HUD, the District of Columbia Housing Authority and the Metropolitan Police Department proved, yet again, that successful gun buy-backs bring communities together, take unwanted guns off our streets and make it harder for criminals and drug dealers to get their hands on the tools of their trade - stolen guns," HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo said. "Every one of the nearly 1,800 guns collected represents a step towards making the District of Columbia safer, and this weekend's buy-back served both as a national model and as an inspiration for buy-backs HUD is supporting in other communities throughout the nation," he said.

Ramsey said District officials are considering a number of options for the next phases of "Operation Save A Life." They include another buy-back program later in the year, as well as a special initiative targeting children who play with toy guns, violent video games and other toys that promote violence.