Johnston Police Will Take Your Guns and Ammo

Johnston residents who have guns and ammunition they want to get out of their houses have two chances to safely dispose of the items this week.

The Des Moines Register reports the Johnston police department will hold the event at from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at the station on Merle Hay Road.

A similar take back event hosted by the Urbandale police departments with others from the metro will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, at the Urbandale Police Department, 3740 86th St., that department said in a news release.

The events will not allow anonymous drop-offs, and people bringing guns or ammunition must show identification, authorities said.

Officials also ask that anyone bringing a gun make sure it is not loaded and it should be kept inside a car trunk, the release said. If you are not sure how to unload a gun, an officer should be told immediately at the event so it can be unloaded.

What happens to the guns that are turned in? KCCI.com reports that the guns collected this week will first be taken to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Lab, which is trying to collect every make and model of every gun that's been manufactured.

The collection has more than 1,700 long guns and nearly 2,400 handguns, the TV station reports. The DCI uses them for parts, to solve crimes, for training and occasionally during sting operations.

Guns that are not needed for the DCI's collection can be sent to other collections around the country, KCCI says. Some of the hunting rifles can be auctioned off by the Department of Natural Resources and some of the guns are repurposed for law enforcement. The rest are destroyed.