BASC condemns Crimestoppers campaign against law-abiding firearms owners
BASC has condemned a Crimestoppers campaign in Cumbria encouraging anonymous denunciations of lawful firearms holders.
Serious decline in firearms licensing performance, latest figures show
BASC is calling for failing police firearms licensing departments to be held to account, following the release of the latest performance figures for England and Wales.
Figures released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council reveal that fewer than half of the 43 police forces in England and Wales are meeting the requirement to turn around 80 per cent of applications within 120 days. Among the 23 lowest-performing forces, 11 are completing fewer than 40 per cent of applications within this timeframe, with some managing little more than a quarter.
BASC head of firearms Martin Parker said: “This results in forces having to issue temporary permits, or for certificate holders to have to put their guns into storage. As the emphasis is on renewals, these forces are taking one to two years, sometimes more, to grant new certificates.”
From good to bad
Mr Parker said what was even more concerning was that several forces that were performing well when evaluated by BASC last year have seen a serious decline in their performance.
He added: “This is extremely concerning and needs to be addressed urgently. Recent figures from Police Scotland showed their licensing department to be the equal of the very best of the English and Welsh forces. How is it that they consistently meet expectations, and have done so for the last five years, yet many of their counterparts in England and Wales appear to be on a slippery downward slope. It is incumbent on the chair of the Firearms and Explosives Licensing Working Group to hold those forces that are failing the shooting community to account.”
The figures also highlight strong performance among a number of forces, with 20 achieving the required turnaround rate of 80 per cent, and many of those achieving more than 90 per cent – demonstrating that the target is both realistic and achievable.
For information and guidance on firearms law and licensing, visit our firearms advice hub here.
Share
BASC briefs MPs at APPG ahead of firearms licensing debate
BASC is briefing MPs ahead of the debate on the petition against proposals to make shotguns subject to the same licensing rules as rifles.
BASC issues firearms advice after hackers steal data
BASC is advising its members to be vigilant around home security after a potential data-breach of a website dealing in firearms.