Full Notification

On Monday, July 6, 2015, Sheriff Jim McDonnell announced the destruction of approximately 3,400 weapons confiscated within Los Angeles County. This action comes typically in July, in compliance with California Penal Code 18005(c), which calls for “weapons unable to be sold to the public or returned to their owners to be destroyed.”

The weapons included in this destruction will be re-purposed for good:  Melted into steel reinforcing bar, better known as ‘rebar,’ and transformed into elements of construction for upgrades in freeways and bridges in Arizona, California and Nevada. The 5 ¼ tons melted today will be used for the betterment of transportation tomorrow.

“Gerdau and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department both aim to support a healthy and safe community,” said Mark Olson, Vice President and General Manager of the Gerdau Steel Mill in Rancho Cucamonga.  “This activity transforms weapons that were intended or used to inflict harm into a product that improves our landscape and economy in Southern California.”

Annually, Gerdau Steel Mill, located in Rancho Cucamonga, generously donates its furnace, equipment and personnel to convert these weapons into steel rebar.  The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works also donates the trucks every year which transport the weapons to the mill.

This year, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and ten participating agencies contributed confiscated weapons to the annual destruction:  Beverly Hills Police Department, Claremont Police Department, Downey Police Department, El Monte Police Department, Long Beach Police Department, Manhattan Beach Police Department, Sierra Madre Police Department, West Covina Police Department, Whittier Police Department, and the Los Angeles Superior Court.

For more information, please contact Sheriff’s Information Bureau Deputy Lillian Peck or Deputy Don Walker at (323)-267-4800.

For information on behalf of Gerdau Steel Mill, please contact Aram Nadjarian, Vectis Strategies, at (323)-533-4523 or [email protected].
 

Forwarded by:

Deputy Amber Smith

Deputy Juanita Navarro

Sheriff's Information Bureau - Newsroom

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

323-267-4800
Website: http://www.lasd.org
Follow us at: Text and Emails, LASD HQ: http://www.Nixle.com
http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/
Twitter: @LASDHQ http://twitter.com/LASDHQ
Twitter: @LASDtalk https://twitter.com/LASDTalk
Twitter: @LASDvideos https://twitter.com/LASDvideos
Twitter: @LASDespanol https://twitter.com/LASDespanol
Facebook LASD HQ: http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment
Instagram LASD Photos: http://instagram.com/LASDHQ Pinterest
LASD Photos : http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/
YouTube LASD Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0
Alert LA County: Telephone emergency mass notification system
http://www.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla
SNAP LA County: Specific Needs Disaster Voluntary Registry http://snap.lacounty.gov/

Text & Email, Register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" AND your local LASD station area. Or, to receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan.

"If You See Something, Say Something"
LA Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department