Police Unannounced Visits

[cragman 2,676]

According to the Shooting Times tweets I'm getting, police are to start doing unannounced visits to the homes of legal gun owners from today!

As well as checking up to make sure your security is ok, this is all to do with terrorist threats and the shooting community being vulnerable to such things.

[Lid 194]

I don't think we should be concerned and I for one am happy to show any bona fide police person my firearm security, assuming I am in when they visit. However I wonder how many terrorists and other criminals think that obtaining guns from legal gun owners is a useful and efficient method to tool up. For one thing they have to find us first and then hope we have weapons that will be of use to them!

 

[Born Hunter 17,656]

Of course the strong presence of eastern Europeans with access to all the left over soviet weapons are not a concern, it's legal gun owners with massively restricted firearms that are the threat...

 

I'd be very interested to know what information the home office has based this on.

[zx10mike 137]

well done for sharing though, self check your security and make sure there is nothing left out.

[Deker 3,462]

Of course the strong presence of eastern Europeans with access to all the left over soviet weapons are not a concern, it's legal gun owners with massively restricted firearms that are the threat...

 

I'd be very interested to know what information the home office has based this on.

I may be able to tell you in due course.

 

I have been invited to attend a Firearms Community Safeguarding Briefing held by the Police Preventing Terrorism Team, this is due to ........the threat level from international terrorism in the UK has recently risen to severe in response to developments in Syria and Iraq.

 

I think that will be an interesting briefing!

Edited October 13, 2014 by Deker

[Cedric 132]

I was under the impression that the police do not have legal authority to demand access to your proprety to check gun security - ecxept in the course of investigating a current crime.

[charlie caller 3,654]

As far as I was aware and certainly what I have read in the past, the police have no right to turn up without an appointment to view your firearms, has this position changed? If you dont actually know the answer please dont reply, I am not asking for supposition, or hearsay, but an answer from someone who genuinely knows, obviously I am not including the right to enter in the belief that a crime is taking place, when (and rightly so) the police can enter premises, I fail to see how these measures will combat terrorism, more likely it is an excuse for legitimate gun owners to be targeted, and hopefully catch the odd one out and revoke his/her certificates, I would be most interested to find out where this information is coming from, so I think to be doubly sure I will phone BASC in the morning and see what they say.

[j j m 6,486]

Theres more ilegal guns on the streets,then there is legal

[charlie caller 3,654]

http://basc.org.uk/blog/press-releases/latest-news/unannounced-visits-to-certificate-holders-basc-advice-to-members/

 

It would appear this is correct, but you can bet your bottom dollar that this will now never be changed, and will remain as a home office guideline, more erosion of your freedom, and targeting of the most law abiding members of society, simply because they wish to own a firearm

Edited October 13, 2014 by charlie caller

[budharley 945]

How would this work for me , I have a certificate but all guns I use are owned and kept at my dads and are on his certificate I don't have any on mine .

[abarrett 462]

I don't know how true this is I was told it happened to a mate of a mate

Police turned up at his house having made an appointment to check guns and security

They arrived early and his mrs let them in and told them he would be back in 15 mins

They asked if she had the keys for the cabinet so they could make a start

She gave them the keys

The lad turns up to his guns being removed

Because he allowed unauthorised access to a firearm

[walshie 2,804]

How would it work if you simply weren't in when they came round? It says clearly they have no right of entry, so I can't see what this is going to do.

[Born Hunter 17,656]

 

Of course the strong presence of eastern Europeans with access to all the left over soviet weapons are not a concern, it's legal gun owners with massively restricted firearms that are the threat...I'd be very interested to know what information the home office has based this on.

 

I may be able to tell you in due course.

 

I have been invited to attend a Firearms Community Safeguarding Briefing held by the Police Preventing Terrorism Team, this is due to ........the threat level from international terrorism in the UK has recently risen to severe in response to developments in Syria and Iraq.

 

I think that will be an interesting briefing!

Do me a favour then, ask the A-Team how many international terrorists they have seen running about with a pair of purdeys.

 

LOL

 

But seriously, be interested to know the outcome of that meeting.

[SportingShooter 0]

I honestly can't see the firearms licensing departments having any spare time to put towards this initiative.

 

It will probably only be used where there is a specific bit of information which says someone is dangerously compromising their firearm security, i.e. leaving a dozen guns on the kitchen table all day long and postie has seen them there,

 

In any case, the powers of entry haven't changed, they're the same. Useful link http://basc.org.uk/firearms/police-involvement-with-shooting/

[Deker 3,462]

What has changed here, the police have always been able to turn up and check, all that is happening now is that there is a suggestion they will do it more often.

 

I see no changes in the law or their right of entry, what is everyone getting their knickers in a twist about?