Warner Robins police hope gun collection event will reduce crime, violence

Do you want to get rid of a gun with no questions asked?

The Warner Robins Police Department will host an “anonymous firearm collection event” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 15, at Perkins Park, 105 Mulberry Court.

The Operation Lay It Down program “ensures that community members can safely surrender firearms without fear of legal consequences,” Mandy Stella, the city clerk, said in a news release.

People can bring “unwanted or found firearms,” Stella said.

She encouraged parents and guardians to turn in guns “that should not remain in their homes,” according to the release.

Police Chief Wayne Fisher said he hopes this initiative will “prevent potential tragedies and reduce the number of stolen weapons that can contribute to crime,” per the news release.

The police department hopes to return stolen guns to their owners, Stella said.

People will not receive payment in exchange for turning in a gun, Stella told The Telegraph.

Similar programs. Do they work?

The city also held a gun return program in 2024, to combat violence that impacted youth in Houston County, Fisher said in a YouTube video.

Macon-Bibb County District 3 Commissioner Stanley Stewart recently pushed for a similar program, but it had not yet happened.

Gun buyback programs have occurred across the United States for decades, but there’s little evidence that shows they actually reduce violence, according to several news outlets and researchers.

People can get more details on the Warner Robins program by contacting Lt. Patrick Allen at 478-302-5378, or pallen@wrga.gov.

This story was originally published November 5, 2025 at 4:32 PM.