Promoting gun safety in Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Ever since the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the hot-button issue of gun control has been swirling everywhere from local law enforcement to the national level.

In Austin on Tuesday afternoon, the City's Public Health and Human Services Committee discussed gun safety and what the community can do to keep people safe.

While there was no vote or action taken, the discussion alone was a move in the right direction for several council members.

"It's our responsibility as council members to determine if there is something we can do -- to try to find out what that is -- and take some action," said Councilman Mike Martinez.

According to Assistant Police Chief Sean Mannix, the Austin Police Department has had success getting guns off the streets through various avenues. 

One of which is the two gun buy-back programs the department has conducted.

In the first buy-back in June 2010, 340 weapons were surrendered voluntarily: 166 handsguns, 96 rilfes, 79 shotguns.

In the most recent buy-back in Feb. 2011, 441 weapons were taken in: 184 pistols, 121 rifles, 82 shotguns.

The guns acquired in the program are destroyed or converted to police use. Because the buy-back programs have been so successful, APD hopes to continue the program.

Austin police said they're also keeping a watchful eye on illegal gun purchases.

"We do have documented cases where our detectives have witnessed straw purchases (where somebody is buying a firearm for another person)," said Mannix. "We have cases in which arrests were made and in some of those cases, the weapon was actually meant to go south of the border for the drug cartel violence in Mexico."

While some of those straw purchases happen at gun shows, many of the transactions at the shows are completely legal; only licensed dealers are required to conduct background checks and unlicensed dealers and individuals can legally sell firearms to other individuals without background checks.

The Austin Police Department is a member agency of the Major City Chiefs Organization

-APD is a member agency of the Major City Chiefs Organization , which is comprised of the 63 largest cities in the country. The organization has joined in the discussion with Vice President Biden and other in opposing firearms violence as well as taking a stance on several legislative position. 

On Wednesday, President Obama and Vice President Biden will announce their proposals on what the federal government can do to curb gun violence.