GUNS OF THE LAW: Police Scotland files release details of officers private gun ownership – shotguns, rifles & silencers, Cops also declare recovery of 30 handguns

Scots Cops gun ownership reveals silencers for firearms. AN ONGOING media probe into the background & extent of gun ownership in the Police, legal fraternity and judiciary has revealed Scotland’s law enforcers & legal eagles own thousands of firearms and stockpile huge quantities of ammunition.

In part one of the investigation coveting law enforcement agencies, it can today be revealed Police Scotland have acknowledged their own officers own over a thousand firearms and shotguns, some of which have unusual configurations and which sources claim - have application uses now frowned upon in society.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, Police Scotland disclosed 327 officers hold either shotgun certificates or Firearms Certificates – or both – and own a total of at least 1,043 weapons.

Police Scotland also disclosed officers own at least 216 silencers for firearms – referred to in the FOI documents as “sound moderators”.

The 327 officers holding certificates allows for

• 161 holding firearms certificates

• 285 holding shotgun certificates

The number of firearms held under a firearm certificate is 392, with a further 216 sound moderators. Further breakdown of weapon types is unavailable.

The number of shotguns held is 651.

Comparing figures issued by Police Scotland for July 2017, there had been a slight drop in Police Officers holding firearms or shotguns.

The 333 certificates can be broken down as follows:

• 25 holding firearms certificates alone

• 10 holding both a firearms and a shotgun certificate but not co-terminous

• 167 holding shotgun certificates alone

• 131 holding both a firearms and a shotgun certificate as co-terminous. 

Many of the weapons held are thought to be for hunting purposes, including grouse shooting, deer, and other animals considered as "game”.

However some of the higher calibre rifles are of the variety used to hunt large animals not native to the UK.

In response to a question asking how many officers of Police Scotland currently have or have been granted other permissions (and what kind of permissions) to hold firearms?

Police Scotland admitted two additional permissions have been granted for temporary permits issued under section 7 of the Firearms Act 1968.

Police Scotland were also asked how many applications have been made by officers in the past three years (numbers per year)?

The FOI response stated: The National SHOGUN database (which records such information on firearms & shotgun ownership) came into operation on the 20th of October 2014 so the statistics can only be extracted from this date.

Application numbers provided include those certificate holders who have re-applied for the renewal of their existing certificate as well as those applications which are currently undergoing initial enquiry or have since been refused or withdrawn.

Applications made by officers in the past three years:

• 20th October 2014 - 19th October 2015 = 65

• 20th October 2015 - 19th October 2016 = 95

• 20th October 2016 - 19th June 2017 = 71

While Police Scotland refused to disclose information on the types of weapons being held, there are claims the selection of firearms held by officers includes high calibre rifles, and expensive shotguns normally found among the gentry & landed classes.

Many of the weapons held are thought to be for hunting purposes, including grouse shooting, deer, and other animals considered as "game”.

From types of weapons – particularly rifles - detailed in claims to journalists, some of the higher calibre rifles are clearly of the variety used to hunt large animals not native to the UK.

There are also claims some of those who are licensed to own firearms have permissions to stock “significant quantities of ammunition” as well as permission to purchase higher amounts of ammunition than other firearms applicants may find possible to obtain similar permission for.

Figures of several thousand rounds of ammunition have been mentioned to journalists, but Police Scotland have not clarified any information relating to stocks of bullets held by firearms owners.

Police Scotland were also asked if Police Officers to inform senior offices or the Chief Constable of their intentions to own firearms.

The reply stated: “There is no information contained in regulations or requirements that requires police officers working for Police Scotland to inform their employers of any firearm or shotgun application.”

In response to a further FOI query - Police Scotland also admitted to the recovery of around 30 handguns over a three year period asked for - although the real total is thought to be higher.

Police Scotland admitted it had recently taken in 11 Pistols and 19 Revolvers.

There are claims some of the handguns may have been handed in Police Officers themselves, and that some weapons have been handed in on behalf of criminals - but Police Scotland refused to provide further information relating to how many handguns the force had actually recovered or even the dates of recovery.

Police Scotland cited ‘costs’ reasons against disclosure and claimed there were no procedures in place for accurately recording the handover of such weapons – which carry a mandatory five year jail sentence in Scotland if persons are found to be in possession of a handgun.

Police Scotland said: “I can further advise that weapons surrendered or recovered by Police in this manner are not recorded on SHOGUN, which is the police licensing system, unless they were legally held weapons on the appropriate certificate.”

“The timescales in respect of these weapons cannot be provided as specific information is not available and many weapons recorded in this way may have been historical weapons that were noted as surrendered weapons from legacy forces at the period of migration to the National SHOGUN system.”

In response to further questions put to Police Scotland: Also, to ask how many handguns have been handed in to Police Scotland by Police Officers or retired Police Officers or civilian workers of Police Scotland from (i) personal ownership (ii) undetailed, undisclosed or unknown ownership (iii) in response to any amnesty or amnesty issued by Police Scotland for a specific handing in of a handgun from January 2014 to the date of this FOI request.

And if information is available on types of weapons, calibres in relation to weapons covered by this FOI request.

For the purposes of this FOI request, the term handgun refers to a firearm or a deactivated firearm.

Police Scotland said in response: “I would advise you that, there has been no amnesty issued by Police Scotland within the requested timescale, as such, in terms of Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this represents a notice that the information you seek is not held by Police Scotland.”

“To be of assistance I can advise that there was a firearms amnesty during the summer of 2014 which was supported primarily by police forces in England and Wales.”

However, in connection with the Firearms Amnesty in England & Wales of 2014, there are claims a significant number of firearms, including handguns made their way south to English Police Forces, to avoid being handed over in Scotland.

Journalists have also been made aware of claims some of the English Police forces who received these firearms became curious as to the origins of the weapons, and made queries with their Scottish counterparts as to whether any of the guns may have been used in crimes.

In 2015, Police Scotland claimed there were around 277,000 guns in Scotland reported by the Daily Record, here: Police reveal there are 277,000 guns in Scotland as they warn of thriving black market trade in firearms