They are wasting public funds to further their narrative that gun violence is an entirely natural phenomenon - sort of like a hurricane - where people people involved in it are universally victims of the circumstance and have no agency in the matter. It's the only explanation why presumably rational people would set up asinine-economics schemes like these:

Eg offering $400 for garbage hi-point 9mms pictured that change hands for $100-200 on the black market - essentially a wellfare subsidy program for gangbangers.