Waterloo Regional Police this week launched another Firearms and Prohibited Weapons Amnesty program to promote community safety and awareness.
Police say the program, which runs to November 30, is an opportunity for community members to turn over unwanted or unlicensed firearms and other weapons that are potentially illegal to possess or that pose a safety risk in their homes or community. The program is an opportunity to properly dispose of these items without fear of prosecution for illegal possession.
The program is being repeated due to the success of similar programs held in 2014, 2015 and 2017. During these three programs, officers collected a total of 427 firearms (shotguns, rifles, handguns), 160 pellet/BB/imitation guns, 21,000 rounds of ammunition and seven pieces of military ordnance.
Police continue to encourage the public to turn over any weapon or ammunition, including any type of firearm and pellet guns that are unwanted.
“Having illegally owned firearms and weapons taken off the street is a benefit to our entire community,” said Staff Sergeant Gregory Hibbard of the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Drugs and Firearms Unit in a release. “Turning in these unwanted weapons will reduce this risk and, in turn, make our streets safer.”
Anyone wishing to submit items for destruction is requested not to transport these items or deliver them to any police facility. Instead, call (519) 570-9777 to make arrangements for an officer to pick them up.
OCTOBER 27
5:37 AM | Emergency services responded to the scene of a single-vehicle collision on Erbsville Road in Woolwich Township. Through the investigation, police determined that the driver of the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve in the road, left the roadway, hit an embankment and came to rest against a hydro pole. The driver, a 21-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries. She was charged with ‘careless driving.’
6:40 PM | A two-vehicle collision brought emergency crews to the area of Kossuth Road, near Cober Road in Woolwich Township. The investigation revealed that a white Ford Escape, driven by a 34-year-old Ayr man was travelling west on Kossuth Road when it crossed the center line and struck a black Toyota Corolla, driven by a 25-year-old Cambridge man who was travelling east on Kossuth Road. The 33-year-old female passenger inside the Ford Escape was extracted from the vehicle by first responders and was transported to an out-of-region hospital with serious injuries. The male driver sustained minor injuries. The driver of the Toyota suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. A young child was also treated at the scene for minor injuries. The female passenger in the front seat of the Toyota suffered severe injuries and was transported to an out-of-region hospital by ambulance. The female passenger in the rear seat of the Toyota was transported to Cambridge Memorial Hospital. As a result of the collision, the road was closed for more than five hours for the investigation. The investigation remains ongoing by members of our Traffic Service’s unit. Charges are pending.
9:52 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a collision at Oriole Parkway East and Arthur Street South in Elmira. The driver of one of the vehicles was travelling north on Oriole Parkway when they attempted a left turn onto Arthur Street. The driver of the other vehicle was travelling south on Oriole Parkway when they were struck by the turning vehicle. There were no physical injuries reported. A 17-year-old female was charged with ‘turn not in safety.’
OCTOBER 30
11:02 AM | Emergency services responded to an ATV collision in the area of Rider Road and Chilligo Road in Woolwich Township. Through the investigation, police learned that two youths were riding the ATV through a field when the driver lost control and crashed. Both youths were transported to hospital with minor injuries.
OCTOBER 31
7:00 PM | Wellington County OPP responded to a serious collision at the intersection of Wellington Road 19 and Second Line, east of Fergus. Initial reports indicated that a motor assisted bicycle and an SUV had collided and the rider of the bicycle was seriously injured. A 15-year-old male was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries but was pronounced deceased. The Office of the Chief Coroner was notified. The intersection remained closed into the night while members of the West Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) and Technical Collision Investigation (T.C.I.) units seek to identify the cause of the collision. The deceased was later identified as Daniel Trafford of Centre Wellington Township. Police are asking anyone that may have witnessed this collision to call 1-888-310-1122.
