PROTECTING THE REPUTATION OF SHOOTING

Simon West discusses the important work carried out by The National Crime Agency’s Criminal Use of Firearms Prevent Board, and highlights our important role in preventing firearm crime

THANKS to the slanted reporting of UK media, Joe Public could be forgiven for thinking guns are evil and rest in the hands of criminals. We know that this is far from the truth and that guns provide millions of law-abiding citizens with enjoyable and responsible sport.

Graeme Biggar CBE, the Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA), has just published the National Strategic Assessment 2023 for Serious and Organised Crime. The threat from firearms was actually low on his list of threats. He stated: “Levels of firearms crime in the UK remain amongst the lowest in the world. However, criminals continue to engage in firearms-enabled crime.”

As the trade, supporting a vibrant shooting community, we have a responsibility to support law enforcement organisations in dealing with the threat of the illegal use of firearms. This helps in reducing the criminal threat and helps protect the reputation of shooting generally.

The Agency uses a strategy of 4Ps: Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare. Pursue is the obvious operationally focussed activity, using intelligence to find and disrupt specific threats. Prevent is the work that considers threats and looks for ways to reduce the availability of enablers to criminals; these ‘enablers’ could include firearms but also people being drawn into crime. Protect puts barriers between threats and those vulnerable. Prepare looks to the future, builds the picture of threats and develops the capacity and specialist knowledge needed to deal with those threats.

On behalf of the trade, I represent you in the National Crime Agency’s forum working to pre- vent criminal use of firearms. I co-chair the NCA’s Criminal Use of Firearms (CUF) Prevent Board and have the privilege of sitting alongside senior Home Office, Police, Border Force and other government agency representatives in the NCA’s CUF Strategic Governance Group.

Insight

Membership of these meetings gives me an insight into the impressive work that takes place, but also, I hope, to provide a trade perspective and to ensure that the Agency follows intervention methods that has applied directed technical solutions to problems that have the potential to be far more effective than banning certain systems through legislation. This is a great example of where the NCA has worked with us to find solutions, rather than shut down business activity through blanket bans.

My thanks to those companies who have assisted in this work and I commend the cooperative approach to others who may get asked to help. The projects focussed on the threat include:

• The conversion of blank firers (forward and vertically venting) has been, and continues to be, a

• We have seen instances of where unauthorised access to firearms has been attempted through the use of fraudulent documentation. This has led to various proactive workstreams but will include a guide to checking certificates.

• A trade surrender pilot project will be run soon to look at a service to RFDs to hand in surplus ammunition and firearms for destruction. I see this as a useful collaborative piece of work to reduce the risk of surplus holdings falling into the wrong hands. More to follow.

• On-going work on the criminal use of replica and ‘home defence’ airguns for intimidation.

• I am also hoping for a direct and efficient ‘hotline’ for dealers to be able to pass information about potential criminal intent to those that need it.

Protection avoid damaging our interests while feeding on the potential that we have to assist in the battle.

From the early days of the Prevent Board two years ago, I have sought to keep the Board focussed on live and future threats. At every meeting we get an update from front line policing and the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) on firearms crime and the various weapon systems that are causing concern. This has led to some very successful operations where the trade has been instrumental in helping the NCA to pursue and disrupt threats. We have also been able to help the Agency work ‘upstream’ to counter specific vulnerabilities. Such work major issue. An on-going NCA operation, Vizardlike, has led to 74 arrests, 50 convictions and the recovery of over 700 potentially lethal handguns.

• Shotgun theft. Shotguns remain attractive to criminals and we are working on another communication campaign to help certificate holders avoid becoming victims.

• Project Interknow looks at the threat from 3D printed firearms. A conference last year brought our industry into the discussion about how to prevent criminal access to this new technology, while still allowing legitimate dealers to develop new manufacturing methods.

All in all, I see our work with the NCA and other law enforcement agencies as a key responsibility in preventing crime, and also in protecting the legitimate trade. We have a treasured reputation for being valued partners in the fight and we should look at where else we should help. Dealers attempting to take benefit from ‘testing’ the fringes of the law have done us no favours. That has only led to criminal exploitation and more draconian restrictions on what we can sell. Acting responsibly and supporting organisations like the NCA will help us all reduce firearm crime, reduce public concern and protect legitimate trade.

I would welcome any comment or more ideas from you on how we can help. I can then introduce these at the Board. GTN GTN

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