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TBE ANNUAL

OLYMPICS

A banner outside the church

Groceries For Guns

Saturday, June 15

Southfield-based attorneys help get
nearly 200 weapons off the streets.

JOIN US AT OUR THIRD ANNUAL
SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES!
Fun and Games
For The Entire Family To Enjoy

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Temple Grounds
4-7pm Rain or Shine

A family-friendly event
with outdoor games,
barbecue by Cutting Edge Cuisine,
camp sing-a-long and Havdalah.

FREE and open to the community-
bring your friends!

For reservations, email your name, phone & number attendin
to Mark Docks at mdocks@tbeonline.org

4111.11A.L.,a

L

FRTEMPE

BETH EL

7400 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
248.851.1100
www.tbeonline.org

1843200

28 June 6 • 2013

Robin Schwartz

Contributing Writer

here were Glock pistols and
service revolvers, "Saturday
night specials" (slang for
inexpensive handguns) and dozens
of shotguns; people even brought
ammunition and knives to a vol-
untary gun exchange program held
May 18 at New St. Paul Tabernacle
Church of God in Christ in Detroit.
The event, dubbed "Groceries
For Guns," was sponsored by the
Southfield-based personal injury law
firm Goodman Acker P.C. through
a public-private partnership with
Wayne County Executive Robert
Ficano, Wayne County Sheriff Benny
Napoleon and Bishop P.A. Brooks.
Participants were invited to turn in
any type of unloaded gun, no ques-
tions asked, in exchange for a $50
Meijer gift card.
"Like so many others, my partner,
Barry Goodman, and I have had
enough of the gun violence claiming
so many lives and destroying fami-
lies and communities," Gerald Acker
said. "Fortunately, the leadership of
Wayne County shares our frustration
and is helping make our vision of
fewer guns on the street a reality."
In all, 178 guns were turned
in during the first-ever program.
Sheriff's deputies inspected each
weapon, marked down serial
numbers and tagged all the guns.
Background checks revealed seven
were stolen; they'll be returned
to their owners. The rest will be
destroyed.
"During the first week of May, 26
people were shot in Detroit in 23
separate shootings," Acker said. "Six
people died; 20 were injured. Four of

Some of the rifles and handguns
turned in during the program

the shootings involved juveniles. We
have to stop this. It's time to demand
more from our politicians, our com-
munity and our police."
In 2012, Detroit recorded its high-
est homicide rate in years — 386
murders (not counting 25 killings
considered justifiable). The majority
of the crimes were the result of gun
violence.
"Gun turn-in programs have prov-
en successful across the country,"
said Wayne County Executive Robert
Ficano. "It's a voluntary effort for
people who don't want a gun in their
house."

Protecting Families

Acker says one grandmother arrived
at the church and handed over at
least half a dozen guns that belonged
to her late husband. She told depu-
ties she has six grandchildren and
she wanted to make sure the weap-
ons don't end up in the children's