Majority of PCCs Supportive of Shooting, says BASC

BASC has published the results of its interactions with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) following last week’s elections.

In the run up to the poll, BASC wrote to each of the 40 candidates in England and Wales and set up a platform for members to contact their local candidates to find out where they stood on issues affecting the shooting sector. More than 13,000 people accessed the platform.

The results are as follows:

• 28 of the 40 elected PCCs declared themselves supportive of shooting
• 22 said they would want their force to process grants and renewals within 17 weeks
• 19 PCCs said they would encourage the setting up of an Independent Advisory Group for firearms owners and the police, as recommended in the College of Policing’s Associated Professional Practice, in their force area

PCCs are important in influencing the effectiveness and efficiency of firearms licensing in their areas. This is because Chief Constables – who are responsible for firearms licensing – are accountable to PCCs.

In addition, PCCs produce the budget and policing plan for their areas, which includes resources for firearms licensing departments and their operation.

BASC’s head of firearms Martin Parker said:

“BASC will be meeting with PCCs to discuss the situation in their constabularies.

“We will prioritise 12 areas where firearms licensing is particularly inefficient. Within these areas, 10 of the newly elected PCCs are supportive of shooting. The position of the remaining two is unknown, but we will establish this as part of the process.”