The deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside has backed calls for a new national firearms licensing authority to improve service and safety.
Bolstered by public feedback, Leo Hammond has been a strong advocate for changes to firearms licensing procedures to create a better service for responsible gun owners while maintaining public safety as the top priority.
A new report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) concluded the current system contains unclear guidance and legislation, while poor supervision and oversight have created ‘inconsistencies and risks to public safety.’
HMICFRS has called for a new national authority to replace the current 38 firearms and explosive licensing units (FELUs) in England and Wales.
The new body would be responsible for assessing firearm and shotgun certificate applications, renewals and ongoing monitoring. Locally-based personnel would carry out suitability visits but do so as part of a national structure with central control to ‘bring greater consistency to decision-making, risk management, training, governance and performance oversight.’
While Humberside was not inspected as part of the report, many of the issues highlighted by HMICFRS have previously been highlighted through public consultation in the region and are familiar to deputy commissioner Mr Hammond, who is supportive of proposals for a new national authority.
“Over the last two years, complaints to my office regarding delays to firearms licensing have continued to increase,” he said. “We have listened to those and continue to lobby Humberside Police to take action to address this issue.
“This had led to welcome increases in staffing and oversight of the service and system. However, the system is still not working and people are not getting the service they deserve and pay for.
“I welcome the call from HMICFRS for a national system to modernise and address the issues the current locally-based system faces. If the Government creates a national firearms licensing system which is properly resourced and streamlines legislation without punishing good gun owners, I think this will deliver the system people need.
“Policing nationally needs to understand the importance of this service to our communities, particularly our rural communities, where licenses don’t just provide people with a hobby, but also jobs and socialising.
“Until a national system is created, we will continue to work with Humberside Police to improve the service locally.”
As part of the report, HMICFRS judged that the current system has resulted in a postcode lottery on levels of scrutiny, service and processing times – something a new national authority should eradicate.
The inspectorate also found that:
- the legal framework is outdated and overly complex, spread across more than 30 pieces of legislation;
- guidance is fragmented and open to interpretation, meaning police forces are applying the rules inconsistently;
- training for firearms licensing decision makers, administrative staff and senior leaders remains inconsistent and is often absent; and
- suitability checks vary significantly between and within FELUs.
Alongside the recommendation for a new national authority, HMICFRS made 22 other recommendations, including:
- modernising firearms legislation and introducing legally enforceable rules;
- requiring all firearm and shotgun certificate applicants to have an in-person medical assessment, rather than relying only on written records;
- aligning the rules for firearms (such as rifles) and shotguns, which are currently regulated differently despite both being potentially lethal weapons;
- requiring firearms applicants to pass a standardised assessment of competence; and
- introducing a digital verification system, similar to the QR codes used for driving licences, to reduce the risk of people using forged certificates to buy firearms or shotguns.
