Local, state and federal agencies are hosting an amnesty program in Omaha-Council Bluffs today (Saturday) during which people can turn over various types of guns and explosives without fear of prosecution. The bi-state event is being overseen by Sergeant Matt Manhart, director of the Omaha Police Department’s Bomb Squad. Manhart says, “If you have an unused consumer fireworks, illegal fireworks, any firearms or ammunition, it can be taken to any one of the three locations where our amnesty is being held.”

Those locations include the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s office in Council Bluffs, Omaha Fire Station number-43 and Seymour Smith Park in Omaha. Manhart says the whole point of the event is to make our streets and homes a little safer from dangerous explosives and lethal weapons. He stresses, no questions will be asked. “Especially something illegal, there’s not going to be any issues, just bring it in,” Manhart says. “I’d rather have the stuff get off the streets are realize nobody’s going to get hurt by those items.”

These amnesty days are held in the metro area at least once a year and organizers say, they work.  “We average 800 to 900 pounds of fireworks, anywhere from 500 to probably 700 or 800 pounds of ammunition is brought in every single time,” Manhart says. “They’ve always been very successful.”

The amnesty runs from 9 A-M to 3 P-M. The drop-offs involve all local law enforcement agencies in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(Radio Iowa)