Police Unannounced Visits

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

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.

they dont acording to my fao they have to give you notice and you can refuse them entry........

[Deker 3,478]

 

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.

they dont acording to my fao they have to give you notice and you can refuse them entry........

 

Correct, please refer to my #15, what is everyone getting so excited about?

 

I suspect it would not go down too well if you did refuse entry though, except with an extremely good reason.

 

This is another non topic, the Police/Home Office are playing with words, put simply, Nothing has changed.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Deker

[Bigad 136]

I know if they rang me to come check it really would not bother me every thing is above board and secure it would give me chance to ask them any questions I had

[Born Hunter 17,843]

What's the big deal?....... The insinuation that the legitimate and legal gun community of the UK are some sort of threat to our national security!!!!!! That's the big deal. It's just another reason to make the anti gun lobby shout about why we shouldn't have the right to own and use firearms.

[walshie 2,804]

Nothing's changed. They always have had the right to ASK to come in and see your gun security.

 

Whether you let them in or not is up to you. But as Deker said, I'm sure they'd frown on it if you refused. (But it's still your right to refuse if you so choose.)

[Alsone 789]

What's the big deal?....... The insinuation that the legitimate and legal gun community of the UK are some sort of threat to our national security!!!!!! That's the big deal. It's just another reason to make the anti gun lobby shout about why we shouldn't have the right to own and use firearms.

 

I see it as just another way to try and catch people out and reduce legal gun ownership.

 

Yes your cabinet should be secure at all times and yes your guns should be stored properly. However, ask yourself this, how many times has someone forgotten and left a bolt in rather than putting it in the separate ammo cabinet where a force requires that (it's mentioned in the 2005 security guidelines), or maybe been in a rush and forgotten and placed a part box of ammo or a magazine in the main cabinet (maybe they placed it down whilst locating the gun, then forgot)? Yes it shouldn't happen but I bet it does very occassionally. These are minor infringements in so far as everything is still locked away safe but nevertheless a breach of safekeeping requirements.

 

With notice, you can put any minor infringement that might be un-typical of your usual practice right, without notice, you get caught out.

 

They might not have any more power to actually enter the premises but are you going to try to refuse if they justify their appearance by eg saying there's a suspected terrorist or other serious criminal living in the area?

 

How can you even check that given data protection?

 

I would think 99% of owners will feel pressured to let them in and turn for that 0.1% who've forgotten something minor, this could provide an excuse to revoke.

 

Through my eyes this is more of a fishing trip than a serious threat to National Security given that most people don't know who has guns and who doesn't in any event, and most guns are kept in accordance with the rules 99% of the time by 99% of the people. It's only likely those who slip up through an error that co-incides with an unnanounced visit that will get caught, not criminals, as criminals don't keep legally held weapons.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Alsone

[charlie caller 3,654]

What's the big deal?....... The insinuation that the legitimate and legal gun community of the UK are some sort of threat to our national security!!!!!! That's the big deal. It's just another reason to make the anti gun lobby shout about why we shouldn't have the right to own and use firearms.

Spot on BH. it is not the fact that police wish to check security, I and I hope no other fac holders here have anything to hide, what the fuss is about (at least as far as I am concerned) is the fact that previously, the police had to ring and notify you they wished to attend and check your firearms, not just turn up ad lib and ask to come in, how this helps with national security is beyond me I totally agree that if there is some intelligence against an fac holder, or he has commited a serious offence, then yes of course the police should be able to just turn up, I dont think anyone is questioning that, but this change in H O guidelines is in my opinion just an excuse to target the most law abiding members of society, and knock another big nail in the coffin containing your personal freedom

[Born Hunter 17,843]

I have no problem with the police wanting to keep the gun community shipshape and on form for basic gun safety reasons. I'd actually support more frequent check-ups and even a compulsory national gun handling/safety course. But to treat us like a potential aid to terrorism is insulting.

 

There are very few weapons in civilian hands in the UK that I would deem useful for acts of terrorism. Terrorists don't need to steal civilian guns, they just buy a f***ing Uzi sourced from some Eastern European shithole on the black market.

 

It's just more of the "it's a privilege to own guns, not a right" bollocks we are being fed more frequently these days by our left wing establishment. And as an upstanding law abiding, hard working patriot of this great country, it boils my shite!!!

[Bigad 136]

I have the simple answer wear this when they come

[charlie caller 3,654]

When who comes I wonder?

[TOPPER 1,809]

the worrying part of all this is most police forces now are nothing more than private security firm s so what gives them the right to carry arms let alone give law abiding firearms owner more shit , avon and somerset police trade as someset cuntstabuly as there owned by IBM who also own a fair few other police forces , IBM say its just to collect data , truth be know they started this in ww2 for the Nazis , coogle your own force and see owns them worrying to say the least

[Deker 3,478]

I see nothing new in this alleged new policy, nor do I see anything worrying.

 

"IF" more home visits/checks are made, surely all this can do is show what a law abiding section of the community we are.

 

And if some numb nuts wants to leave guns and ammo lying about all over the place then they only have themselves to blame for their problems and for bringing the shooting community into disrespect.

 

I am really not seeing any issues here, primarily because Nothing new is happening, no new laws have been enacted and the police have no new powers of entry.

[perthshire keeper 1,239]

question...just because i feel like asking it!
but where in black and white dose it say about haveing guns and ammo locked away in a cabinet?

[Alsone 789]

When who comes I wonder?

 

Well at least you won't get beheaded if it wasn't who you were expecting!

 

question...just because i feel like asking it!

but where in black and white dose it say about haveing guns and ammo locked away in a cabinet?

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117794/security_leaflet.pdf

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117636/firearms-security-handbook.pdf

[charlie caller 3,654]

An additional worry is that this may lead to criminals posing as police officers trying to gain entry to a cert holders house, I mean come on how hard would it be to fake a warrant card in this day and age? I would advise anyone who receives a visit under these circumstances, to check the Id of any officers with their local force, if the officer asking to view firearms is not known to you, a simple and quick exercise, that shows you are serious about security.