WARWICK, R.I. -- The city won't be taking part in Saturday's statewide gun buyback program, but it's not for lack of support for the event, Mayor Scott Avedisian says.
Avedisian said that Warwick had planned to join Providence, Bristol and Central Falls in providing a location where people turn in unwanted firearms until the police discovered a 1999 local ordinance that would make the process unwieldy.
The stipulations are so onerous, Avedisian said Thursday, that "it would be a logistical nightmare."
The conditions include having a gun expert on hand and ballistics tests at the state crime lab.
As a result, he said, Warwick is urging residents who want to dispose of guns to go to the Providence, Central Falls, or Bristol locations listed on providenceri.com/buyback.