Although College Park’s gun buyback program Feb. 9 resulted in the city collecting 172 handguns and rifles, the councilman who spearheaded the program hopes the city can target more community weapons when, and if, the program is offered again.

College Park Councilman Joe Carn was still beaming last week concerning the gun buyback program in which the city paid cash for weapons being turned in, whether operable or not.

Within hours of the official start of the program at the College Park City Auditorium, the city’s $20,000 in funding for it was exhausted, despite a good number of people still in line.

However, Carn said the city received what he described as a “good number” of guns from people who were not College Park or College Park area residents but visitors who from other municipalities in the metro area who had heard about the program through television and radio.

“Although about 70 of the guns turned in were from College Park and East Point area residents, we didn’t want the $20,000 in funding to be exhausted before more of our area residents, especially College Park citizens, had arrived at the city auditorium to trade their guns for cash,” Carn said.

He explained that extensive television and radio coverage drew many non-residents to College Park for the program.

“Every gun we purchased is one less gun off the street that could be used for criminal activity and we are pleased with that,” Carn said

“This was our first gun buyback effort so, before we do another one, we will look at making some adjustments to make sure more of our residents have the opportunity to turn their weapons in,” Carn said.

College Park has such a transient population, the councilman said, he would like to see the city conduct the next gun buyback program either toward the end of this year or sometime in 2014.