SMT MeetingMonday 8th October 2007

MPS Management Project For the Control and Surrenderof Realistic Imitation Guns

Assistant Commissioner Tim Godwin

A. RECOMMENDATIONS – That

1. Management Board members note the development and pilot progress already made within the SE Five Borough Gang Project area and now being disseminated across the MPS area, concerning control measures over the sale and supply of imitation guns.

2. Management Board authorise the implementation of an advertised public surrender scheme to allow such realistic imitation firearms to be given up to police and designated 3rd parties at police stations, by arranged collection or at remote sites across the MPS area.

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Summary

On the 1st October 2007 S.36-40 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 was enacted concerning the unlawful manufacture, importation and sale of realistic imitation firearms. This includes all BB, Cap, Blank Firing and Air Soft type guns, which have a close resemblance to a real firearm.

Preparatory work to enforce the Act and reduce the availability of such items has been undertaken by a multi agency Steering Group under the auspices of the Five Borough Gang Project Board in close liaison with the Home Office and the Guns Gangs and Weapons Executive Board. The good practice emanating from this development work is now being disseminated across the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) area in a co-ordinated phased operation. This is a focussed and segmented project for this type of firearm, recognising the volume and likely scale of its use in criminal incidents.

75% (3000) of all firearms seized or found by the MPS in 2006-7 were of a realistic imitation type and not viable to fire a lethal projectile. It is estimated that about 50% of all gun enabled crimes in the MPS area involve the use or intimation of a realistic imitation firearm.

This report seeks to inform Management Board about progress and gain their authorisation to implement a high profile public surrender operation across the MPS area. Work includes intelligence gathering, retail awareness and enforcement of new laws, test purchasing, media and communications, customs and VCD/SCD7/8 operations around supply sources.

B. SUPPORTING INFORMATION

I. On Monday 1st October 2007 the last sections of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 were enacted concerning the supply, possession and sale of imitation guns, air rifles and knives. With regard to imitation guns the Act makes the following illegal:

i. Manufacturing, importing or selling any realistic looking imitation firearm. This includes BB, Cap, Blank Firing and Air Soft type guns

ii. Selling any such firearm except in verified instances where the purchaser is acting on behalf of an enactment or theatrical organisation, museum or Air-Soft skirmishing club on authorised and insured sites. All such purchasers have to be at least 18 years old.

iii. Carrying any such gun in a public place without lawful excuse increasing the penalty to 1 years imprisonment.

iv. Modifying an imitation gun into a real firearm

1. In anticipation of this new legislation, since May 2007, The Violent Crime Directorate together with SCD, MIB, Safer Neighbourhoods, CO19 and Lead Trading Standards Officers have been developing and now piloting a range of control and preventative measures within the SE Five Borough Gang Project area. These include:

v. A Media and Communications plan to inform the public and retailers at neighbourhood and Borough wide level about the new measures and how the initiative will help control the supply and possession of such guns.

vi. A full NIM Intelligence Profile compiled by MIB about the scale and nature of the problem including known retail and internet sites selling such items.

vii. A retail store Code of Practice concerning the sale of such items under the exemption clauses.

viii. Joint Safer Neighbourhood and Trading Standard visits to retail outlets

This has led to a discernable reduction in the number of retail outlets such as supermarkets, hardware and sports stores together with street markets selling such items. It is estimated that only 5-6 outlets remain on each Borough.

3. A progress report and presentation was completed to the Five Borough Gang Project Stakeholders Forum in June, chaired by Len Duvall and attended by the five BOCU Commanders and Local Authority Chief Executives. The initiative received overwhelming support to continue.

4. The Steering Group guiding this work is now chaired by Commander Sawyer of the Violent Crime Directorate and the project executive team comprises an SCD DI Project Manager and Chief Inspector SCD and VCD together with nominated representatives from TP DPA Press Office, CO19 Policy and Firearms Enquiry Teams, Safer Neighbourhood Chief Inspector leads for five Borough area and Lead Trading Standard Officers from the five Boroughs.

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5. The intention now is to use this experience and the new legislation to launch a range of co-ordinated measures over the next 3 months across all 32 London Boroughs in the following phases:

I. Using the Intelligence collected by the MIB Gun Focus desk and the London Regional Trading Standards office, arrange for an official visit by a Safer Neighbourhoods constable to identified retail outlets and:

i. Serve a formal letter on the proprieter, explaining the provisions of the new Act and their obligations to remove remaining stock. Disposal will be assisted by the police.

ii. Offer a designed register of sales within a Code of Practice for future sales under the exemption clauses

II. Arrange test purchasing at remaining outlets to monitor compliance with the Act and to inform any enforcement action if required.

III. Implement covert internet supply investigations at level 2 and 3. IV. Plan and execute search warrants at premises throughout the region

suspected of supplying, importing or distributing realistic imitation firearms. This will be based on level 2 intelligence and resources from MIB, VCD, Customs and SCD.

V. Plan and implement a high profile public surrender scheme subject to Management Board approval at a suitable time. See 6 below.

VI. To conduct outlet follow up visits using local crime prevention officers to complete a security survey of the site with recommendations.

VII. Complete a full MIB Results Analysis of the initiative in the 2008 New Year.

6. Plans have been developed to implement a full-scale public surrender scheme. This is not designed as a general gun amnesty but targeted at this specific segment. This poses the biggest volume gun issue for the MPS. The previous Gun Amnesty in 2003 did not reveal any forensically connected gun and intelligence suggests (ACC Sue Fish ACPO CUF Report 2007) neither did it remove those guns available to gangs and violent criminals. The intention is to implement a two week surrender period, commencing 12th November. This will involve:

I. An intense communications and media phase both before and during the surrender scheme at Regional and Borough level using television, radio, local newspapers and Safer Neighbourhood News Letters to explain the purpose and how to surrender such realistic imitation guns.

II. A system of collection including surrender at police stations, a police remote site collection service and designated 3rd party persons such as street pastors.

III. A time extension option for BOCU Commanders if they deem it necessary beyond the 2 week period.

IV. The full support of CO19 FET officers, SCD nominated persons and BOCU personnel to examine and make safe guns when required.

V. Receipt, storage and forensic submission procedures detailed by police notice and on the Intranet. Surrendered guns will be recorded on the new National Ballistic Intelligence Service database.

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VI. A full briefing for lead BOCU and level 2 personnel at 10am 1st November in the Briefing Room New Scotland Yard.

7. RACE AND EQUALITY IMPACT

8. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Report Author: Chief Inspector James Cooke

Background Papers

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