McKees Rocks police start initiative to confiscate illegal guns

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. (KDKA) - The McKees Rocks Police Department started an initiative to get illegal guns off the streets and address a rise in violent crimes.

McKees Rocks police said their hands are full of shooting cases and other violent crime cases involving firearms.

"It's always been a rough town but not like this, and it kind of makes me sad," said Sandy Saban, who is a lifelong resident of McKees Rocks.

McKees Rocks police are trying to get a hold on gun violence that's gripping the small borough.

The police department's captain, Dave Finerty, said they launched a new initiative with several state and local agencies, including Stowe Township Police Department, to remove firearms from the hands of people who can't possess firearms and to apprehend violent criminals.

"We want to control the amount of guns coming that are illegal, we want to control the amount of violent crime, which a lot of it is reactive and it's hard to do. And we respond once it happens, but proactivity has gone a long way for us," said Finerty.

Finerty said they recently met with U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung and now they intend to bring in some federal agencies.

"The FBI, the ATF, the DEA -- they are all on board to help us with our violence problem," he said.

The initiatives started about five or six weeks ago. Over the last few weeks, officers have confiscated about 20 guns.

"We are a little over a month into it, almost two months into it. We've confiscated, with the help of the office of the attorney general, Stowe Township police, McKees Rocks police, and Allegheny County police, we've confiscated 19, 20 guns in the last five to six weeks, so it's been successful," Finerty said.

He said the recent gun violence problems involve young people who are not allowed to own guns and adults who can't own a firearm because they are convicted of a crime.

"These young people don't appreciate life," said Johnnie Chambers, who has lived in McKees Rocks since 1971. "I think it's wrong that a lot of kids are going around and killing each other, they don't have no remorse."

Longtime residents like Chambers are saddened by the violence in their town.

"I think they need to police a little bit more than what they're doing, but it's a good thing to get the guns off the street because young people don't understand, life is precious, life is precious," Chambers said.

Sandy Saban wants to feel safe in the borough she's called home her entire life.

"I think it's so needed, and I think the police are doing the best they can," said Saban.

"I'm a little scared because sometimes at my house, I have my garage door open in the front, and now I have to close it because I'm afraid of what's going on," she said.

Officers are focusing their efforts on people they know are violent and not permitted to carry firearms.

"This is just a combined effort to make this area safer, period," Finerty said.

He said they are doing roving patrols and heavier patrols.

"We are saturating areas that have been the heaviest hit with violent acts and activity -- known gang members' hang outs, places like that," Finerty said. "We saturate with boots on the ground, heavier patrols."

"Down the road, I hope that we can have a little bit of a safer town where people feel a little better about walking around, going for a walk, just even keeping their door unlocked during the day, but I don't know if that's ever going to happen again," Saban said.

There have been three homicides in McKees Rocks in 2022.