"Seven thousand two hundred thirty-four . If Chicago is your home , that number tells you something about your city , and police say it 's not necessarily good . As CBS 2 's Kristyn Hartman reports , there have been 7,234 guns recovered or confiscated by Chicago Police so far this year . When you think about it , that 's about one gun for every 400 people , in a city with an ordinance that prohibits them . Chicagoan Robert Herbert hears gunshots all the time in his neighborhood . He says lots of people have them . '' All the time , every day , yesterday , the day before yesterday , `` Herbert said . Police are finding some of the guns . '' So far year to date , there 's been seven thousand , two hundred and thirty four firearms recovered in Chicago , `` said Deputy Chicago Police Chief Nick Roti . Roti says the number , which is up , really tells the tale of two cities . One is the mean streets story . '' Guns are found in parks , under porches , `` Roti said . The other is the safer streets story . '' The good news is we 're recovering the guns , `` he said . '' I think people are getting fed up with public violence , It 's evidenced by reporting of it. `` Roti says increased search warrants net guns . Buybacks , patrol stops and putting cops in the right places also net guns . Police say most of what they recover comes from south of the Stevenson Expressway , generally the South Side of Chicago , in neighborhoods like Englewood . There , gangs , drugs and firearms all seem to go together . Herbert is happy with the work , but he fears the guns are replaced as quickly as they are removed . If it were legal , he says he 'd have one for protection . When asked if there is a justification for carrying a weapon , Roti said : `` Not really for me to say . It 's against the law in Chicago. `` National Rifle Association Legislative Liaison Todd Vandermyde said if people were allowed to have a weapon for self-defense , it would `` absolutely `` deter crime . '' But Chicago has put its citizens in victimization mode , because they have n't allowed them the use of self-defense , `` he said . '' The only guys carrying guns on the streets are the bad guys. `` The city 's 27-year-old handgun ban is under court challenge . Meanwhile , police hope to challenge street violence with a provision waiting for Gov . Pat Quinn 's signature . It would mean gang members caught with guns would spend a mandatory three years behind bars . The ordinance would be named after Alex Valadez , a Chicago Police Officer who was killed ."
"So Chicago has a total handgun ban , no exceptions for anyone except politicians with influence . Gangs are routinely armed with Chicago-illegal weaponry . The number of weapons has recovered has jumped to 7,000+ just for this year . And apparently Chicago thinks it knows better than the federal government . They 're not playing ball with the mandatory five year prison sentence that armed criminals are supposed to face ."
"Seven thousand two hundred Kristyn Hartman reports ,"
"Chicago has a total handgun ban Gangs are routinely armed"