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BSc Policing and Criminal Investigation
An analysis of the strategiesbeing used to reducegun crime in the
UK
By Wesley Jenkins
Student number: 10023477
Faculty of Computing, engineering and sciences
Project supervisor: Rachel Bolton-King
April 2014
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Abstract
This project was carried out to critically assess how effectively the police were using
their strategies and initiatives to try to combat firearms and firearms offences in the
UK. The issue of gun crime in the UK has been a very topical subject over the past
few decades. By gathering data from both the secondary research analysed in this
project and the primary research conducted into the different factors that affect the
issue of gun crime across the UK, the findings will indicate whether the strategies put
in to place by the police and government have reduced the amount of overall crimes
committed in relation to firearm offences across the UK over the past decade.
However, the research clearly indicates, that further improvements could be made to
tackle the different factors that surrounds gun crime in the UK such as the increased
use of a handgun, to either commit an offence or to use against an individual since
the implementation of the 1988 Firearms Amendment Act, in addition to the 2nd
Amendment of the Firearms Act 1997. Finally this project will provide a summary of
the issues and outline any future recommendations.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all the firearms officers that responded to the questionnaire and
give their views on firearm offences within the UK. A special mention should go to
Greg Gregory, for highlighting specific issues within the questionnaire that
subsequently had to be changed to comply with the rules outlined for firearms
officers. Additionally my gratitude goes to my family for all the assistance that they
gave me throughout conducting this piece of work. I would also like to express my
gratitude to my friends for helping me throughout this project
Finally, I would like to personally thank Rachel Bolton-King, my project supervisor,
for all the support and guidance that she provided whilst conducting this piece of
research and writing this thesis.
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Chapter 1: Introduction for dissertation
Introduction paragraph
Gun crime in the UK has been a very topical subject over the past few decades
despite the UK having one of the strictest regulations in the world (Politics.co.uk,
2014). In the UK there is a general consensus against owning a firearm; the public
agree that handguns should be prohibited regardless of use (Politics.co.uk, 2014).
There are many key aspects that must be addressed and outlined that surround this
sensitive area of policing in order to make a sound judgement. These particular
factors will be further discussed later on in the following sub-sections: UK firearms
officers, media coverage, worldwide initiatives, Intelligence led policing, gangs, types
of firearms available, legislation for firearms in UK.
In accordance with specific literature, generally, gun crime levels across the UK have
been constantly reducing over the past decade. As shown in Table 1, in the period
between April 2002 to March 2003 there were a total of 10,248 offences, to 5,157
offences, in the period of July 2012 to June 2013 which is almost a fifty per cent
decrease over the last ten years in the UK (Home Office, 2013).
Table 1: Summary of the number of firearm
offences recorded by police between 2002
and 2013 in England and Wales(Ons.gov.uk,
2013)
England and Wales
Apr-02 to
Mar-03
Apr-07 to
Mar-08
Apr-11 to
Mar-12
Apr-12 to
Mar-13
Firearm offences 10,248 9,865 6,022 5,157
However, in contrast, since the implementation of the 1988 Firearms Amendment
Act, literature has indicated that the number of crimes committed involving the use of
handguns has more than doubled since the 2nd Amendment of the Firearms Act
1997 (see Legislation for firearms in UK sub-section) which brought a complete ban
on handguns from 2,636 in 1997-1998 to 5,871 in 2011-2012 (Pavlich, 2012). Clearly
due to the outlined reports, it visibly indicates that the strategies and initiatives used
by the police and government have evidently worked in reducing the overall issue of
gun crime. However, it plainly indicates that in particular areas of gun crime, such as,
offences involving the use of handguns have increased dramatically since the pivotal
legislation, like the Firearms Amendment Act 1997 was initiated (see types of UK
firearms available sub-section). These particular documents have gathered these
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statistics by using policing recorded crimes which were logged into the government’s
crime figures.
Typically gun crime in the UK is only discussed and highlighted to the public after a
major incident such as the Rhys Jones shooting in Liverpool (2007). This specific
issue only seems to get highlighted and discussed by the media and simultaneously
comes into the public eye. Whether there has been a shooting, regardless of its
magnitude, whether it is an attempted murder offence or a mass shooting such as
the Dumblaine massacre (1996), it all carries prevalent media attention. This then
affects the subject by allowing the public to demonstrate their disapproval at these
events and demand that there be a public inquiry to have a critical assessment into
the matter of this individual was able to commit such a crime. Their main concern
focuses on how such an individual would be able to obtain a firearm regardless of
whether the individual actually held a certified gun license. Although these inquiry’s
may have identified specific factors (discussed in the following sub sections:
legislation for firearms and types of firearms available) that need to be addressed
and changed, these types of incidents are rare in occurrence, and as such do not
reflect an overview of the important issues that surround gun crime in the UK. Their
tendency to just focus on all of the negative aspects of particular incidents, which
have made a lasting impression on the public, police and the government, all serve
to perpetuate the discussion on gun crime. The amendments of vital pieces of
legislation will be discussed later on in the legislation for firearms in UK sub-section.
UK firearms officers
The usage of firearms by the police across the UK is covered by statutes and
policy’s such as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), the Human
Rights Act 1998, the Home Office Code of Practice on Police use of Firearms and
Less Lethal Weapons, and the Association of Chief Police officers (ACPO) Manual of
Guidance on Police Use of Firearms in addition to the common law. Across all police
forces within the UK there are only a specific pool of officers who are actually
authorised to carry a firearm whilst on duty such as a Specialist Firearms Officer
(SFO) and Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO). A SFO can be defined as a police
officer who has “undergone training in the use of police firearms, and therefore is
authorised to carry and when necessary use a firearm to prevent an immediate
threat to life” (Morris, 2004). All SFOs are required to first train as an AFO, to work
as a team in armed response vehicles. It is important to note that AFOs may only
carry firearms when authorised by an appropriate authorising officer with the rank of
an Inspector or higher (ACPO, 2003). SFOs receive a much more advanced level of
training than AFOs, which specifically looks at areas such as building assaults and
the usage of specialist weapons.
In the United Kingdom SFO’s and AFO’s are allowed by law to use a particular
amount of reasonable force in order to compose an arrest or in contrast prevent a
crime occurring under section 117 of the PACE Act 1984. On the other hand, if the
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force used by the SFOs or AFOs proves to be fatal to an individual then the
European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) can merely permit the use of force
which is more than absolutely acceptable and necessary for that situation (ACPO,
2003). Significantly, this critically outlines that SFO’s and AFO’s can therefore
discharge their firearms to stop a looming threat of life (ACPO, 2003). ACPO have
additionally indicated that the use of firearms (including either pointing and/or
discharging of it and regardless of whether the intent was accidental, negligent or on
purpose), they must fully justify their reasoning and actions taken in a court of law.
To allow police officers to have a chance of dealing with the capability of armed
crime across the UK, ACPO enforced the use of a specialised firearms unit within
each constabulary to respond to emergency calls which involves the use of firearms
(Underzone, 2008).
Media coverage
The media’s coverage of firearm offences across the UK is another affecting factor
which actually influences the debate that surrounds gun crime. The media’s
coverage on gun crime across the UK has increased drastically over the last 20
years (Kleck, 1997). The reasoning behind this is due to the advancement of
technology over the past decade. It has allowed the public to gain easy access and
obtain information that covers the context of high priority cases such as the
Dunblane shootings in 1996. These can influence the public opinions as the access
to these articles on shootings are easier to find and readily available to read off the
internet. In these instances the media has a crucial role, in the first instance, in
disseminating information as it plays a hugely important role in public protection in
many ways. After the incident is over the role of the media changes and report the
facts and circumstances of the incident (House of Commons, 2010). The easy
accessibility to the internet has allowed most news websites to visually re-enact the
scenes of any mass shooting in order to show the explicitly of the incident.
In contrast the accessibility to the internet and other sources of media coverage can
hinder the issue of gun crime. The media could in actual fact intrude on any of the
victim’s families or even their community by offering monetary rewards. For example,
they could try and get the inside scoop about the particular town in which the incident
happened or gain a personal background on the individual, before the incident took
place. A specific example of this occurred after the Cumbria massacre as witnesses
highlighted that the intrusive media coverage became distressing (House of
Commons, 2010). They complained to their council which lead to the local MP, Mr
Jamie Reed stating that the “frankly gratuitous, shocking and unjustifiable, invasive
media coverage that surrounded [this incident had] left very, very deep scars” across
the Cumbria district (House of Commons, 2010). In addition to this the way the
media covers these issues also plays a pivotal role as it encourages certain unstable
or vulnerable members of the public to perform the same acts of violence
demonstrated by the copycat incidents (House of Commons, 2010).
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Worldwide initiatives used in other countries
When debating the levels of gun crime from the UK against countries worldwide the
comparisons outlines that the UK now has some of the most restrictive laws in
Europe in addition to having one of the lowest firearms offences rate worldwide
(Broadhurst and Benyon, 2000). This may be because countries worldwide are
attempting to stop gun crime by adopting various differing strategies. For example,
from 1996 to 1998 Australia instituted a mandatory buyback scheme whereby the
government managed to retrieve 700,000 guns by offering to recompense anyone
who voluntarily handed in a weapon (judiciary.gov, 2010). Whereas in another
example the US President Obama’s latest published proposals include criminal
background checks for all gun sales and re-instating and strengthening the ban on
assault weapons that was previously in place between 1994 and 2004 (Cooper et al.,
2013).
Additionally, a number of pivotal legislations such as the firearms controls 1996 in
Australia, after the Port Arthur massacre, has enacted a sweeping of gun control
measures that tightened the legislation around firearms in Australia, with gun
licensing reviews every five years and an increase on sentencing with firearm
offences (Oremus, 2012). Countries across the world have aided the reduction of
gun crime by utilising different legislation in an aid to this war against weapons and
the devastation it leaves behind.
ILP and OCG’s paragraph
The use of Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) has influenced how the police have
actually tackled the issue of gun crime in the UK. The primary form of ILP that the
police use is the National Intelligence Model (NIM). The NIM is an information based
deployment system which identifies patterns of crime and enables a more
fundamental approach to problem solving in which resources can be tasked
efficiently against an accurate understanding of crime and incident problems (ACPO,
2005). It was integrated in 2000, by the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS)
as a business model which is ‘a model for policing’ that ensures information is fully
researched, developed and analysed to provide intelligence to the police about
criminal activity (ACPO, 2007). The NIM was adopted as a policy by ACPO in an
effort to promote the use of ILP thought-out the UK police forces and tackle
Organised Crime Groups (OCGs). ACPO defines Organised Crime Groups as a
group of people who cause or have the potential to cause ‘significant harm’ such as
significant profit or loss, significant impact upon community safety, serious violence,
corruption, and/or exercise of control (ACPO, 2005).
In November 2005 the government compelled all police forces in England and Wales
to apply NIM to all and any new national minimum standards (ACPO 2005) which
was overseen by Her Majesty Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). The NIM plays a
pivotal role in the use of ILP in that its helps to identify the importance of information
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sharing between the different constabularies around the UK. Sharing information has
become a vital tool of the ILP, as it helps provide intelligence on OCG’s which can
help highlight key individuals and provide vital information that surrounds any
criminal activity they are planning or have participated in. The NIM plays a pivotal
role is assisting different police forces across the UK in regards to firearms. For
example, the role of the ILP has become mandatory requirement in relaying any
specific information between the various constabularies which are involved in the
operation to tackle OCG’s which are trying to obtain illegal firearms. This is
particularly important when addressing the issue of both import and export of
firearms, as this enables easy identifiable tracking to take place. Due to the effective
tracking of illegal firearms, the various constabularies are able to not only arrest
individuals who are involved in supplying the firearms but also arrest the recipients of
firearms.
Gangs
One of most synonymous relations to this specific area of gun crime is gangs and
gang mentality, simply because the symbol of holding and carrying a firearm installs
the necessary sense of control in addition to fear over an individual (Mclagan, 2005,
Squires, 2000). There also seems to be a correlation between obtaining a firearm
and obtaining respect among peers (Kleck & Patterson, 1993). Outside influences
such as low-income communities, unstable home life, lower educational standards
and awareness, in addition to the lack of recognisable and emphasizing role models
can play a significant role in the decision making process of contemplating of joining
a gang (Miller, 1975). The familial structure of the OCGs often provides the individual
with a sense of unity that was lacking in their own personal situation. The location of
the individual also plays a sufficient factor in determining whether the individual is
exposed to the harsh reality of gang warfare and lifestyle, as statistically large cities
and suburban counties report a higher number of criminal offences which have been
committed by gangs in these areas in comparison to small cities and rural countries
(Mclagan, 2005).
Types of typical UK firearms available
Within the UK, statistically over the past decade handguns have been one of the
most predominantly used firearms in relation to gun crime across the UK (Berman,
2012). The primary reason for this could be due to size of a handgun as it is very
easy to conceal and will only be seen when an individual commits a firearms offence.
A handgun is a firearm which is designed to be held predominately in either one or
both hands. The most utilised subtype of handguns available for handguns is
revolvers and pistols. However, statistically, there has been a big variety of weapons
used to commit many different offences which include shotguns (Cumbria massacre
2010) the use of semi-automatic assault rifles (Hungerford massacre 1987) and
many more. The availability of a rifle and shotgun within the UK has become more
paramount (Kleck, 1997), which could be due to the legalised use of these particular
10. 9
firearms in hunting for animals or sporting activity. One primary difference that
distinguishes a rifle and shotgun apart is the range of shot available, as a shotgun
can fire multiple projectiles at a time which favours short range combat. Whereas, in
comparison, a rifle can only fire a single projectile at a time, and is more favoured in
long range shootings as it is more accurate compared to a shotgun.
The statistics have identified that imitation firearms and air weapons have been on a
steady increase over the past few years (Berman, 2012). An imitation firearm can be
defined as “anything which has the appearance of being a firearm, whether or not it
is capable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile under section 57of the
firearms act 1968” (Cps.gov.uk). Furthermore, throughout the past two decades in
the UK, the government has passed through legislation such as the Firearms
Amendment Act 1988 which targeted to ban the use of semi- automatic pistols after
the Hungerford massacre (1987) and the Firearms Amendment and 2nd Amendment
Act 1997, targeted to effectively ban the possession of all handguns after the
Dunblane shootings (1997) had occurred. However, it is pivotal to point out that
despite the use of shotguns still being legal, the shotgun firearms statistics have
remained at a constant stable level (Berman, 2012) which could be due to there
being no legislation brought in to restrict the use of shotguns including shotgun
ammunition. Despite being commonly associated with gun crime in the UK (i.e.
Raoul moat shootings 2010).
Legislation for firearms in UK
Legislation in the UK in relation to gun crime has been present since 1903 when the
Pistols Act was introduced to forbid the selling of pistols to minors and felons and
identified that sales were only allow to those who held a license (truthhouse.org,
n.d.). However, further restrictions were incurred as a result of the Firearms Act 1920
being introduced to counter any fears that there could be have been an uprising of
criminal activity due to the availability of firearms following world war one (BBC
News, 2007). However, significantly, when the government introduced the firearms
Act 1968 it brought together every existing firearms legislation into a single statute.
Furthermore this piece of legislation helped formed the legal basis for firearms
control policies in the UK.
Changes in the law since 1968 seem to occur after high priority incidents where
published in the media which lead to a public enquiry in response to the horrific
incidents that have taken place across the country (Squires, 2000). For example, the
Firearms Amendment Act was introduced by the government in the wake of a public
enquiry after the Hungerford massacre (1986), highlighting that regulations need to
improve otherwise incidents like this could happen again. In wake of this enquiry the
government acted quickly and imposed the Firearms Amendment Act 1986 which
prohibited the use of semi-automatic pistols (including ammunition) within the UK.
Another example could be the Firearms amendment (no.2) 1997, which was
introduced by the government following the events that transpired at the Dunblane
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massacre in 1996. The public demanded that an enquiry into the shooting take
place. The Cullen enquiry identified recommendations for the government to tighten
controls on handguns in the UK, which was duly applied in the new legislation.
Legislation in the UK has become one pivotal factor in the fight against gun crime
(Squires, 2000). This is due to legislation which is recommended by the police and is
then introduced by the government, is one of the strategies being used by the police
to target gang violence. This is being completed by government departments such
as the Home Office who are introducing changes to firearms legislation in the new
Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing bill in 2012, which created an offence of
possessing illegal firearms for sale or transfer, with a maximum penalty of life
imprisonment and increasing the maximum penalty for manufacture, importation and
exportation of illegal firearms. This piece of legislation has allowed the police greater
powers on the streets, and to arrest criminals and secure higher conviction rates in
the magistrates and high courts.
Reasoning for undertaking this thesis
There is a differing amount of reasoning behind the undertaking of this particular
thesis. The effectiveness of police strategies on UK gun crime covers a very
sensitive area of policing. Therefore, as there has not been a large amount of critical
research completed which highlights if the strategies and initiatives used by the
police are working to fight against gun crime in the UK, then this a novel research
area. Additionally the prominent and continual media coverage predominantly brings
bad attention to this area of policing outlining the seeming rise in offences throughout
the UK. With the media succeeding in presenting a negative picture of gun crime in
the UK, they highlight more specifically that not enough is being done to tackle the
issue. Events such as the Rhys Jones shooting in 2007 have identified that there are
more complicated issues that have to be first dealt with, in order to successfully and
effectively tackle gun crime. Furthermore, my research intends to supplement
existing figures with specific strategies that might be being used by police forces
across the UK to justify if there are reductions in specific crime rates across the UK.
Aims and objectives of thesis
The aim of this research is to critically assess how effectively the police are using
their strategies and initiatives to try to combat firearms and firearms offences in the
UK.
This aim will be completed by examining national published statistical data which will
highlight whether these initiatives are succeeding or not. Focus will also be placed
on any worldwide initiatives used in any other countries and evaluate the effect they
have brought. Additionally, this project will evaluate how the different legislation that
is used by police to combat crime is being used in an applicable manner throughout
the UK. This project will also outline the important and critical cases which have had
a major impact of the public’s perception of firearms and pressured the governments
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into influencing a change in the legislation. This in turn has seemingly enforced
stricter laws that surround firearms in the UK.
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Chapter 2: Research methodology
Primary research
The use of research methodology was conducted in the form of primary data that
existed on the levels of gun crime within the UK. In addition to this, it also looked at
whether the police initiatives were actually reducing crime rates. The data was
gathered through qualitative research, with the participants who took part filling out a
questionnaire. By incorporating the use of qualitative research it provides vital data
which can be explored and assessed to gain an insight into what the police were
doing to resolve gun crime. Due to the resource constraints in this project there could
possibly be the occurrence of a few limitations. The questionnaires can only be
specifically answered by specialised firearms officers, which in turn could mean that
there are a limited number of responses to analyse.
The primary reason for using questionnaires within this project is that questionnaires
are frequently highlighted as a less personal/intrusive method of gathering data
which can enable the responders to feel more confident and relaxed about the
questionnaire. This in turn allows the responders to give a more enhanced detailed
answer (Milne J, 1999). The questionnaires were designed and submitted in
accordance to the university policy on fast track ethical consent forms, to help
maintain the integrity of the research. This ensured that the participants in the
research project would not be harmed and would be treated with respect at all times.
Anonymity of the data would be sustained throughout the project.
Gathering primary data
A questionnaire was generated using Qualtrics software which enabled the
questionnaire to look more professional in design and add vital functions to allow the
questionnaire to be completed accordingly. The questionnaire was sent electronically
in an email as an attachment to multiple contacts to firearms officers in the following
constabularies:
Durham
Staffordshire
Nottinghamshire
Northamptonshire
Metropolitan police
Greater Manchester police
These were identified due to existing contacts with the project supervisor. The total
number of officers to whom the questionnaire was distributed to is unknown, but is
likely to be within the region of roughly 20. A consent form was also attached to the
emails when sent to the contacts who wanted to take part in the study. It outlined
their participation as voluntary, as well as their right to withdraw their questionnaire
without giving a reason, anonymity and confidentiality of the results. To ensure
anonymity of participants; they were required to write a code word at the start of the
questionnaire. This provided them with the choice of withdrawing from the study, by
emailing that code word to the email address left on the information sheet. As such
their resulting questionnaire would be destroyed. A copy of the consent form can be
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seen in Appendix 1. Furthermore, contacts were additionally sent an information
sheet which highlighted the reasoning for undertaking this particular study. A copy of
this can be seen in Appendix 2.
All participants that took part in the questionnaire were asked a variety of questions
which aimed to focus on many key areas of gun crime in the UK. One area focused
on the different categories of offences committed with the use of firearms, whilst
another discussed which age bracket were the highest users of firearms in their
personal experience. Additionally outlined, was the different percentage of crime that
used firearms and whether they typically caused serious or fatal injuries, along with
the different initiatives used by the different forces. Appendix 3 contains a copy of the
questionnaire used. The responses received from the questionnaires will be critically
evaluated in the next chapter.
Why these questions were asked
The questions that were asked in the questionnaire were specifically aimed towards
the different variety of topics for a number of reasons. The primary reason was so
that the detailed responses could be compared against any secondary data found in
the introduction, whilst allowing the answers to be critically evaluated. Another
reason was due to gathering an insight into one particular firearm officer’s
experience of the current state of gun crime in the UK, and understanding their views
surrounding such a sensitive area of policing. An example of this is that the
questionnaire asked about whether their firearms offences related directly to serious
or fatal injuries and how this compared to the averages of their constabulary over the
past few years in addition to the national average obtained from the Home Office.
Whilst in contrast one particular article showed that in actual fact, the most common
weapon used in a violent crime in England and Wales was not a gun, but a knife and
statistically that there was four times more knife-related killings as firearms-related
killings (Casciani D, 2008). This clearly highlights that there are conflicting reports.
Therefore, because of this there is some disparity to the extent of the issues that
surround gun crime in the UK.
Amount of responses to the questionnaire
In total 10 responses were received, with 5 surveys fully complete from a variety of
firearm officer’s that worked in different constabularies: two respondents working at
Durham constabulary, two respondents working at the Metropolitan police and one
respondent working at Northampton constabulary. Overall this provided a 20%
response rate. In order to make this research more statistically valid it would have
required a wider range of responses. This could have been achieved by including
more police constabularies and emailing an enquiry to different forces about whether
they would take part in the study.
What this means to the project
Due to the low number of responders of the questionnaire, this does not effectively
highlight an accurate representation of the opinions of all UK firearms officers.
Therefore it is difficult to critically assess their opinions and results from the primary
data gathered. For this particular reason the analysis of this data will be measured
15. 14
up against secondary data such as the national research and statistics established in
chapter 1. These research studies are based on a larger scale and are additionally
externally validated. However, the findings in the primary data research have
indicated that there could be some new initiatives that have been introduced by
some constabularies. These are interesting to consider in the context of the nature of
identifying whether they actually reduced the levels of firearm offences. The use of
secondary data can be gathered in many different ways such as the police database,
National Armed Policing Secretariat (NAPS) and the Home Office.
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Chapter 3: Results and Discussion
This chapter summarises all responses to the questionnaire in addition to critically
analysing the findings of them in regards to secondary research.
Proportion of officers allowed authorisation to use firearms
In addressing the proportion of officers that have authorisation to utilise firearms, all
five respondents stated that between 0-15% of officers within their constabulary are
actually authorised to carry and use a firearm.
As such due to the overall findings of the primary research suggesting that only a
particular group of officers specialise in firearms authorisation, this suggests that gun
crime is of a low percentage. In accordance with secondary research (Home Office,
2013) it states that between 2010 and 2011, there were 6,653 Authorised Firearms
Officers that work throughout England and Wales. During this period of time there
were 141,850 working police officers, and out of this just over 4% were actually fully
qualified firearms officers. However, caution should be exercised when analysing all
the responses due to the fact that only a very small percentage of respondents
actually answered the questions which diminishes the overall reliability and validity.
Furthermore there is risk of generalised assumptions being interpreted as the
standard norm.
The Home Office reports (2013) indicate that the findings from the primary are
consistent with each other as there are only a relatively low percentage of firearm
officers, and this is due to the fact that constabularies understand the fundamental
importance of the end result, being an individual officer who is trained and being
capable of killing someone. Also the percentage of gun crimes within the UK, still
remains relatively low when compared to the rest of the world (Broadhurst and
Benyon, 2000) (see Worldwide initiatives used in other countries sub section in
introduction), and as such the requirement for every officer in the UK to be trained
and armed in weapons use is not always required, particularly when compared to
United States of America (USA), where firearms carrying is a mandatory
requirement. Therefore, the information gathered directly has an impact on the
overall aims and objectives of the study because it pinpoints and identified the levels
of difficulty faced by police in utilising strategies that both effectively, reduce and
control gun crime throughout the UK. Additionally, this highlights the need for an
increased percentage of firearms officers within the UK in order to effectively combat
firearm offences.
Categories of offences most commonly associated with the use of firearms
Each respondent identified different categories of offences that were most common
with the use of firearms: Imitation firearms and shot guns offences, gang violence,
possession of a firearm with the intent to cause fear of violence (section 16A) the
Firearms Act 1968, trespass with a firearm and finally assaults with the most
common type being Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).
When addressing this particular question, the question itself was asked to engage
the respondents to ascertain the variety of different categories of offence which could
17. 16
indicate whether or not there was a pattern within the data. In actual fact, there
seems to be a correlation between certain criminal offences, as gang violence and
possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence came up, and these two
offences can be related to gang violence due to the centre component of gang
mentality (See Gangs subsection in introduction), being to instil a large degree of
fear (Valdez, 1997, Lyddane, 2006). These results additionally indicate the there is a
diversity of the nature of officer’s experiences when dealing with firearm offences.
This in turn, emphasises that this question was based upon the level of experience
that the responder had encountered within their respective constabulary. On the
other hand, caution again should be exercised due to the results being dependant on
the social experiences that the public have confronted in the realms that surrounds
their lives.
There is a significant difference of opinion due to the broad nature and variety of
offences that can be committed when using a firearm. As such the results gained
from the primary research contrast with current literature and existing findings.
Therefore when relating the findings to the overall aims and objectives of the
research, it is clear that other factors do play a significant role when carrying out
analysis of existing strategies and legislation. The analysis is also dictated by
location of strategies as well as the experience level of the officers enforcing them.
Therefore geographical location attracts different levels and types of crime. This in
turn prompts the question as to how effective analysis of existing strategies can be
unanimously achieved, when particular locations are more prevalent in terms of
firearms. Additionally, future research is dependent upon the level of experience of
the officers acquired by them in determining and refining more accurate results.
However the one remaining common link is that the types of offences seem to be
predominantly associated with gangs and gang warfare. This is due to the deep-
roots of gang mentality being embedded within a core component most notably
achieved by carrying and using a firearm as indicated above and also discussed in
the gangs subsection in introduction.
Type of firearms most commonly used
In accordance with the literature (politics.co.uk, 2014, Berman, 2012) over the past
decade the most commonly used type of firearm in the UK is a handgun. The
responses from the primary data indicate that in the firearm’s officers experience the
imitation firearm is the most commonly used firearm which actually contradicts the
secondary data such as the national statistics. However, this is based upon a very
small number of firearms officers and does not truly represent a generalised view for
the whole of the firearms officers as there is not enough sufficient data to compare
against the national statistics. It is vital to outline that the responses are based upon
the location of the different responders as different constabularies have different
capacities such as London being such a vast city that this enables, particular
firearms such as handguns to go unnoticed as they very are easy to conceal.
Whereas Northamptonshire, which is in the middle of English countryside, does not
have a lot of ways to import a firearm as there are no airports and no border control.
Additionally, caution must be exercised when analysing the results of the primary
data as the answers are based upon the duration of experience as a firearms officer
that individual has within their constabulary. The differing level of experience will
affect the results as an individual who has less experience will not have encountered
18. 17
many situations and only encountered particular firearms, whereas an individual with
numerous years of experience will have confronted countless situations involving a
lot of dissimilar firearms.
When answering this question, two respondents indicated that imitation firearms
were the most frequently used firearm. On the other hand the other three responders
answered with different categories of firearms they thought were more commonly
used. One respondent answered that they thought shotguns were the most
commonly utilised firearm, whilst another responder answered that in their opinion it
was pistols/revolvers. The final responder actually stated that unidentified firearms
were the most frequently utilised firearm. The results are highlighted with the pie
chart indicated below.
Table 2: Responders answers on which specific types of firearms is most
commonly used in committing criminal offences
An additional point can be made as since the 2nd amendment of the firearms act
1997, legislation has restricted the use of handguns, forcing criminals to use other
firearm alternatives. This could indicate as to why there was a contrast against the
findings of the sturdy and supportive literature. Further to this a responder
highlighted that there seemed to be a higher percentage of thefts in relation to
shotguns, as they are more readily available to acquire. They also illustrate how
linking projectiles with microscopy to a shot gun is almost impossible due to shot
guns being smooth-bore, and the retention of discharged cartridges leaving little
cooperative evidence of the scene.
Percentage of crime using firearms over the last 12 months
In regards to this particular question the central findings were unanimous in that all
responders answered that 0-10% of the crimes committed in their constabulary
actually involved the use of a firearm.
The indications from this particular question, is that the findings outline that there is a
very low percentage of criminal offences that involve the use of firearms around the
different constabularies. These findings are consistent with secondary data and
additionally outline that overall; the percentage of offences committed with the use of
a firearm has decreased consistently each year (ons.gov.uk 2013, Home Office
Imiatation firearms
pistols
unidentified firearms
shotguns
19. 18
2013). One of the initiatives that are used to combat gun crime is by police utilising
ILP to target OCG’s and gangs. Other indicators as to why it was such a low
percentage could be attributed to the firearms amnesty, which involved exchanging
whatever firearms individuals had in their possession and exchanging them for cash
instead.
The secondary literature that was gathered only provided data up until the year
2013, therefore these are the opinions of the specialised firearms officers answering
this question, as such there is no other data to support and substantiate this.
However, the theory suggest that the research findings indicated that the promoted
use of the ILP throughout the UK police constabularies, had played a significant role
as it has improved the use of information sharing and communication (ACPO, 2007,
police999.com). This had been due to the intelligence gained from the use of NIM
that has surrounded any criminal activity involving OCG’s or gangs in direct relation
to proactive use of firearms for criminals (see ILP and OCG’s subsection in
introduction).
Age bracket of the highest users of firearms
When identifying the particular age brackets of the highest users of firearms, the
majority of responses stated that 15-24 year olds were the higher age bracket.
Whereas in contrast one respondent answered that 25-34 year olds were the highest
users of firearms. However, it is vital to highlight that one person did not answer this
question and as such this could affect the validity of the results obtained. This means
that the reliability of the results will be put into question, due to this person not
answering the question, as well as reducing the amount of sufficient data in order to
make a critical assessment of the results. This particular individual also chose not to
answer any other questions after this particular question, such as questions 6-9.
Therefore this again could impact on the reliability of the results of the study. A copy
of the results is shown in the pie chart outlined below.
Table 3: Responders answers on which particular age bracket is the most
common users of firearms
The findings from the primary data about which particular age bracket is the highest
users of firearms are in correlation with the secondary data. There are many
indicators that can suggest why this particular age category is the highest users of
gun crime. One main indication could be that this age category are often associated
15-24 years old
24-35 years old
20. 19
in OCG’s and gangs with particular research (Miller 1975), indicating that gangs are
predominantly male, between 10-24 years old, originated in low-income
communities, and included primarily members of ethnic groups most heavily
represented in lower educational and occupational categories. Other secondary
research (ojjdp.gov, n.d.) also indicates that 16% of youth gang members were
younger than 15; 34% between the ages of 15 and 17; 37% between the ages of 18
and 24; and 13% being older than 24.
Table 4: Most common age category involved in gangs (ojjdp.gov, n.d.)
In addition to this particular question, consideration needs to be given to the year in
which the evidence consorted was collected from, being 2013. Therefore, these
opinions are from a date prior to current findings and would require further research
to validate and support findings. However, the literature states, that it is about
something beyond mere age bracket, extending into the outside influences of class,
domestic life and education status to name a few. As discussed in Gangs subsection
in introduction.
The arming of on-duty police officers in the UK
When addressing this particular question, it was asked to engage the respondents to
establish their opinions on whether on-duty police officers should actually be armed
with lethal weapons as this is debateable area within the sensitive issue of policing.
Particular secondary research can indicate that members of the Police Federation do
not want officers to be routinely armed on duty, despite being at serious risk by doing
their jobs, with 82% voting against officers being routinely armed (icmresearch.com,
2004). Alternatively, a number of firearms officers within the UK feel that lethal
weapons should be rolled out to on-duty officers, but they only stated that a selected
amount should be considered, regardless of whether they do not help with every
situation. It will act as a deterrent to criminals and make them think on a larger scale
of what they should do. As outlined in the results below, there was a variety of
contrasting opinions from the responders answering this questionnaire.
21. 20
In response to whether police officers should be armed with lethal weapons there
was a difference of opinions. They also had to justify their answers with a brief
explanation of why they agreed and disagreed .Two responders actually agreed that
officers should be armed, with one respondent stating that the current situation
requires that the police service has an appropriate use of force to combat armed
crime and threat levels now faced in London and around the UK. The other
respondent, who also agreed, additionally indicated that not all officers should carry
lethal weapons, but specified by saying only a select pool of officers should carry
weapons sufficient enough to deal with the threat of violence by firearms, terrorism
and other situations so serious as to require lethal force.
On the other hand, two respondents actually disagreed that officers should be
armed. One respondent indicated that if police officers were to be armed then, it
would require a more robust recruitment regime with the recruitment of personnel to
carry firearms being different to recruiting unarmed officers. The other responder that
also disagreed identified that in the current position as it stands, there are dedicated
units of firearms officers who are trained to an extremely high standard, and as a
result the number of operations which unfortunately result in shots being fired by
police is extremely low as a percentage of the vast number of operations. With a
large number of specialised firearms units throughout the UK, they are able to strictly
maintain the high standards expected by the public. The danger comes, when a
firearm then becomes nothing more than another piece of personal protective
equipment, which then dilutes the gravity of such a responsibility and ultimately leads
to an increase in discharge of firearms in policing operations and potentially a rise in
the criminal use of firearms.
This particular area of the study provides a highly unique perspective on this specific
area of gun crime. Unlike previous questions, this had been used to gain immediate
reactions from the responders. As such responses were opinionated, and thus
subjective, but with a purpose. This question served to highlight, additional
information, identifying whether current levels of tackling gun crime were sufficient or
as to whether and how more proactive strategies could actually be enforced. One
particular responder supported this area of discussion, by identifying how the level of
armed officers in the UK was in direct proportion to threat levels to the UK nationally.
Furthermore, an additional responder explored this in stating that in order for the
police to remain effective the required the ability to be armed.
Percentages of serious or fatal injuries sustained by the use of firearms over
the last 12 months
In addressing this particular section of the research, all responders indicated that
between 0-10% of firearms offences have actually resulted in either serious or fatal
injuries to an individual. However it is important to note again that as one individual
chose not to answer this specific question, as such this could impact the analysis of
the results.
The findings outlined from this particular question, are consistent with the national
research in relation to the different constabularies (Berman, 2012). The findings
highlights that the percentage of injuries sustained off firearms is quite low whether a
firearm is fired, used in a threat or as a blunt instrument. Therefore, this could have
22. 21
been indicative of the fact that the constabularies were taking a tough stance on
crime and as such the percentage of injuries would indeed be lowered. This could
have also been further supported by the fundamental role of tough legislation which
had the power to govern and instil the appropriate powers and laws required to
enforce appropriate control measures. The police themselves were perhaps also
exercising tougher policing powers, which ensured that they were exercising a no-
nonsense approach and had greater le-way in controlling firearms offences.
However, injury seems to be a natural pre-cursor of firearms activities and as such
injury itself and the detrimental side-effects generated by this will never be fully
wiped out. Caution must be adhered to some of the research obtained, as it can
indicate that a gun may not of been fired but may have been used as a blunt
instrument instead which does not fit into the specific research acquired.
The secondary literature that was gathered only provided data up until the year
2013, therefore the answers given were the opinions of the specialised firearms
officers answering this question, and as such there is no other data to support and
substantiate this. However, the theory suggest that the research findings indicated
that the increase amount of restrictions that surrounds gun crime with the pivotal use
of legislation have played a significant role against the fight of gun crime in the UK.
This could be due to new legislations that is being brought out to increase the
severity of sentencing if an individual has been caught committing a criminal offence
which involves the use of firearms. Nevertheless, the results obtained have impacted
on the overall analysis and aims of the study because they clearly support the
positive effect of strategies being enforced as the percentage is particular low. This
could also answer the question as to why the percentage of firearms officers is
consequently so low as they are indirect proportion to the current rate of firearms
related injuries.
Difficulty in obtaining an illicit firearm
In response to the question on how difficult it is to obtain an illicit firearm out of a
scale of one to ten, with one being easy and ten being very difficult there was a
difference of opinions between the responders. One responder that answered with
four out of ten, detailed that if you have reasonably good knowledge of firearms, then
it is not that difficult to alter the parts of a firearm and then send or receive them in
the post. Whilst a different responder answered with a six and stated that due to
amendments made to the Firearms Act (section 5 (1) (aba) of the Firearms Act 1968
as amended by the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997) following the Dunblane
massacre in 1996, small arms such as self-loading pistols and revolvers are difficult
to source, with the penalty for possession being a mandatory 5 year sentence.
The other two responders answered this question with a seven and eight out of ten,
respectively. The responder who replied with seven stated that, within the criminal
fraternity, access to firearms is perhaps easier to facilitate as certain groups have the
information and contacts to enable this to take place. However, the average civilian
does not operate in these circles. This could be due to the controls which are present
in the UK regarded firearms licensing/reviews and the ban on handguns as working
in some way towards reducing the number of firearms in circulation. Moreover the
second responder that disagreed identified that it is not easy to obtain a firearm,
however recent months have shown that people have been able to get passed what
23. 22
used to be excellent import security and restrictions. A number of firearms that end
up being used are guns that have been made safer and have then been re-
commissioned and remodelled for use.
A copy of the results gathered of this particular question is outlined below in the form
of a bar chart.
Table 5: Responders answers on the difficulty of individuals obtaining a
firearm
The findings of the primary research indicate that the difficulty of obtaining a firearm
is reasonably hard. In accordance with the literature (politics.co.uk 2014, Malcolm
2012) after the 1996 Dumblaine massacre had occurred, there was a media and
public outcry which changed the government perspective on changing the existing
legislation on gun ownership which resulted in the Firearms Act 1997. This piece of
legislation completely banned handguns for private ownership. Other pieces of
legislation such as the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing bill 2012 (House of
Commons, 2013) have additionally given the police greater powers on the streets to
arrest criminals on charges such as possession of illegal firearms which carries a
long term prison sentence. Many more pieces of legislations have been brought in
by the government to deter individuals from owing a gun and making the public
aware of the severe ramifications that can be bestowed upon them if they actually
are caught with a firearm, which makes individuals aware of the penalties they can
incur.
Another indication that can be highlighted around these results could be due to the
location of the responder’s constabulary as different constabulary’s have different
capacities such as London being such a vast city, with airports which could be used
to import weapons. Whereas Northamptonshire, being in the middle of the
countryside, with deliveries by car or lorries being the most suitable option to obtain
firearms, there are bound to use different ways to obtain a firearm which could make
it harder or easier for particular individuals. Furthermore, caution must be exercised
with these results as OCG’S and gangs can also affect the difficulty levels as
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1st responder 2nd responder 3rd responder 4th responder
answers give on a
scale out of one to
ten, one being easy
and ten being
impossoble
24. 23
criminal fraternity can make it easier to obtain a firearms by using the black market
or by intimidation to gain access to a gun.
Due to this question being specifically asked to obtain opinions from the individual
answers provided, the nature of the research highlighted does not include the innate
difficulties of obtaining a firearm. However the literature in existence does touch
upon the surface of the issue, but not in sufficient detail. Nevertheless, existing
literature still serves a definitive purpose in identifying the impact generated by
current legislation such as the ‘Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing bill in 2012
as discussed in the introduction. One respondent even indicated the use of the
firearms amnesty’s have allowed any individual who possess a firearm, regardless of
type, to hand them over without the imminent fear of prosecution or arrest. Another
respondent recognized that if there were a greater number of Trojan and SFO
officers they did influence the difficulty of obtaining a firearm and reduce the crime
levels within the UK.
Another responder identified a number of initiatives that are currently in operation
these included:
Firearms Amnesty initiatives, such as the month-long firearms amnesty in
Scotland 2003 (BBC News, 2003), and More than 40,000 guns were handed
over to police during the month-long firearms amnesty in 2003 as well, with
around one million rounds of ammunition additionally surrendered (BBC
News, 2003). Out of the 40,000 firearms, 6,500 were prohibited weapons
such as handguns were included in the final total
Firearms Licensing reviews on legally held firearms so as to minimise the
amount which are held by those who are unsuitable to hold licences and also
revocation of licences where individual circumstances have changed to a
degree where it is no longer appropriate to leave certain individuals with
access
The impact of this question in relation to this study clearly illustrates some potential
limitations or issues when trying to analyse the overall effectiveness of the current
legislation in use. As such results suggested that firearms knowledge and contacts
were pre-cursors to the level of ease by which certain extremists groups where able
to obtain a firearm. Thus, analysis and results was again dependant on the individual
and the individual case. However this does not diminish the fact that overall levels of
difficulty remain at a high level for the average person. This supports the claims that
legislation and current strategies were working in unison to restrict the access to
firearms across the UK.
25. 24
Chapter 4: Conclusion
This project was carried out to critically assess how effectively the police were using
their strategies and initiatives to try to combat firearms and firearms offences in the
UK. By gathering data from both the secondary research analysed in this project and
the primary research conducted into the different factors that affect the issue of gun
crime across the UK, the findings indicate that the strategies put in to place by the
police and government have reduced the amount of overall crimes committed in
relation to firearm offences across the UK, over the past decade. However, the
research clearly indicates, that further improvements could be made to tackle the
different factors that surrounds gun crime in the UK, such as the increased use of a
handgun to either commit an offence or to use against an individual. This chapter will
sum up the conclusions of the project and outline any future recommendations.
Improving police practice
The primary research found out that over the last decade the amount of gun related
offences has been reduced. However, the research also indicates that particular
factors surrounding the issue of gun crime, have affected the issue as a whole. For
example, the number of offences involving the use of handguns (as cited in Chapter
1), since the inclusion of pivotal legislation in society, including the Firearms Act
1968, and the 2nd Amendment of the Firearms Act 1997. As such this particular area
requires careful evaluation, in order to detect any underlying causes for these
discrepancies.
Legal framework
As discussed previously in Chapter 1 there is a large quantity of strong and
restrictive legislation in place to address the issue of gun crime. However, findings
from the primary and secondary research outlined in this report suggest that major
incidences such as the Raoul Moat shooting spree (2010), Dunblane massacre
(1996) and the Hungerford Massacre (1987) have effected legislation within the UK,
as it has improved the restrictions surrounding firearms access. Legislation has also
provided the police with more powers by creating more offences by which the police
can stop and search and even arrest any individual in addition to increasing the
length of sentences given.
The use of SFO’s and Trojans
Within the UK the usage of SFO’s and AFO’s play a significant part in being an
effective team to help tackle the issue of gun crime throughout the UK. Research in
the UK suggests that despite a low number of SFO’s in the UK, that the UK has one
of the lowest rates of gun crime in comparison to the rest of the world (Broadhurst
and Benyon, 2000). An SFO has the legal acquirement, to be able to legally injure or
shoot an individual in the face of a potential life threating incident.
Media Coverage
Due to the increased media coverage throughout the UK over the last 20 years it has
been easy to access and obtain information that covers gun crime or shootings as
26. 25
they can be graphically reinacted (Kleck, 1997). This in turn, highlights the severity of
the incident that has occurred and could actually influence the public opinion, and
also enable the public to voice their concern to their local and regional government,
which could lead a public enquiry taking place about the incident. The enquiry would
discuss different factors such as how the offender obtained a firearm, and question
the offender’s physical and mental state and their wellbeing before and after the
incident.
Different types of firearms
Findings from the secondary and national research have indicated that over the past
decade, statistically handguns have been the most predominant firearms (Berman,
2012). However, suggestions from the primary research have indicated the use of an
imitation firearm has dramatically increased over the last few years. This illustrates a
contrast in the research, which highlights that the use of strategy initiatives by the
police has forced suspected criminals to use alternative methods of firearms. Despite
this research there are many factors as to why handguns have remained one of the
most commonly utilised firearms in criminal offences and activity. This could be
attributed to the easier concealment associated with a handgun, as well as location
of the criminal in terms of import and export ease and difficulty.
Gangs
Gangs in relation to gun crime are a pivotal factor that surrounds firearms offences
within the UK and the level of gun crime committed. The method of gang initiation
amongst individuals is determined by complex outside factors such as, social-
economic standing, low educational awareness and a fractured home life. Gangs
can also have an association with OCG’s as the family structure behind them can
provide individual members with a sense of utility and unity (Miller, 1975). The
geographical location also plays a significant factor in this particular area of
discussion.
Recommendations
1. Increase the amount of SFO’s and AFO’s throughout UK constabularies; this
could reduce the amount of crime in the UK.
2. Greater degree of educational awareness as provided by government
initiatives and schemes-particularly targeting more susceptible groups and
geographical locations. This would serve to improve people perceptions on
joining gangs and being involved in OCG’s, which can make people not join
gangs and be involved in criminal activity.
3. To ensure that legislation is in correlation with current statistics and
supporting other occurrences that may have happened in an attempt to crack
down on criminal activity that surrounds firearms in the UK.
4. To increase the amount of firearm amnesty’s through the year in an attempt to
decrease the amount of firearms in the UK.
5. Look at the different worldwide initiatives and correlate them against their
respective statistics to see if they work and maybe introduce them into the
UK.
27. 26
Unfortunately due to the limited number of responses that were received, it would be
a good idea for future reference to further expand this type of research into different
constabularies and national research. This will enable future analysis to take on
board a greater number of opinions from specialised firearms officers in order that
the interpretations of the research and results are externally reliable and valued.
When considering how the study would be approached if carried out again, it would
be essential to obtain a longer time period, by which deeper analysis and future
predictions could be carried out. The study would have also benefitted from a larger
amount of responders, in order to obtain a more balanced overview of the findings,
and thus decreasing the risk of subjective opinion only. Time would have also
allowed for greater analysis surrounding the different factors directly linked to gun-
crime, which could have highlighted more concrete and finite patterns. Finally it
would be imperative to consort a wider array of reliable and current statistics in order
to ensure that facts could be supported by accurate and balanced figures throughout
the discussion.
28. 27
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31. 30
Appendix list
Appendix 1
Consent form
Title: An In Depth Analysis of the Strategies Being Used To Reduce Gun Crime in the UK
I have read the information sheet provided and understand all the information included in
it.
I have had the opportunity to ask any questions about my participation in the project.
My participation is voluntary and I understand that I can withdraw my data from the study
at any time without giving any reason or having any rights affected.
I understand that as personal information about me, albeit in an anonymous form, will be
seen by the researcher and other responsible individuals. I will not be identified in the final
report or any other published material arising from the work.
I hereby give my consent to be a participant in this study.
Name (please print):
Date:
Signature:
Student name: Wesley Jenkins
Supervisor: Dr. Rachel Bolton-King
32. 31
Appendix 2
An In Depth Analysis of the Strategies Being Used To Reduce Gun Crime in the UK:
Information Sheet
I am a final year undergraduate Policing and Criminal Investigation student who is
undertaking a research project in UK policies and initiatives used to reduce gun crime.
Purpose of the research:
The purpose of this research is to gather personal professional opinions regarding the
effectiveness of current strategies used by UK police forces. These opinions will be used to
potentially determine which procedures/policies individuals may identify as those most
responsible for reducing the number of firearms offences from published crime statistics.
Participation in this project will require:
You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which should not take more than 20
minutes. Some questions have pre-defined answers and others allow free text to briefly
explain your answers. You reserve the right to not answer any of these questions if you feel
it is not appropriate to do so. The questions will be stored electronically and will remain
anonymous at all times.
What will happen with your questionnaire?:
The data from all questionnaires will be only available to myself and my research supervisor.
Your name will not be associated with your response to ensure anonymity at all times and
your identity will not be disclosed in any future publication(s). However, at the start of the
questionnaire, you will be asked to identify a code word to identify your responses. If, at any
time and without explanation, you decide to withdraw consent from the research you can
contact me with this code word to identify your questionnaire and the data from your
submitted will be deleted.
If you have any questions about this research, I will be happy to answer them.
Student’s name: Wesley Jenkins
Student’s contact details: j023477a@student.staffs.ac.uk
Research supervisor: Dr. Rachel Bolton-King, Lecturer, Staffordshire University
33. 32
Appendix 3
Firearms Questionnaire
Do you agree to take part in this research and consent to the use and
disclosure of the research data obtained for the purposes of this study?
Yes No
Thank you for your interest in this survey, but as you have not provided consent to take part in this
research unfortunately you cannot complete the survey.
For the purpose of data analysis and comparison to available statistics, please confirm which UK
constabulary you are from:
Please provide a code word below to identify your survey if you need to remove your consent in the
future:
Q1. From your personal experience, what proportion of officers in your
constabulary are authorized to use firearms?
0-15%
16-30%
31-45%
>45%
Q2. From your personal experience, what category of offence is most common that involves the use
of a firearm?
Q3. Continuing on from Question 2, in your personal experience, please
indicate from the list given which type of firearm was most commonly
used?
34. 33
Shotgun Imitation firearm
Air weapon Unidentified
Rifle Other
Pistol/Revolver
Q4. From your personal experience, over the last 12 months, what
percentage of crimes in your constabulary have involved the use of a
firearm?
0-10%
11-20%
21-30%
>30%
Q5. In your personal experience, when recording gun crime in your area,
what age bracket are the highest users of firearms?
<15
15-24
25-34
35-44
>44
Q6. What is your opinion regarding on-duty police officers in the UK
being armed with lethal weapons?
I agree I disagree
Considering your answer from question 6, please briefly describe the reasoning behind your answer:
Q7. From your personal experience, over the last 12 months, what
percentage of firearm offences in your constabulary have resulted in a
fatal or serious injury?
0-10%
35. 34
11-20%
21-30%
>30%
Q8. In your personal opinion, on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being very
easy, and 10 being impossible, how difficult would it be for a civilian to
obtain an illicit firearm in the UK?
Easy Imposssible
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Difficultly
of
obtaining
an illicit
firearm
Q9. Please explain below why you selected the 'difficulty rating' in your answer to question 8, with
respect to the difficulty in a civilian obtaining an illicit firearm.
Q9. Please identify any UK policing or local community initiatives that have been established to try to
reduce gun crime rate within your constabulary:
Please use the space below if you would like to make any further comments relating to this
questionnaire
