Front Sight BBC

Fewer than 4% of Scottish police are trained in the use of firearms

Police forces in Scotland have been “too slow” to implement new training guidelines on the use of firearms, according to inspectors.

A national standard was recommended by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) in 2006.

But a review by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) found the guidelines had still not been implemented.

The inspector urged forces to achieve “provisional status” within six months.

Paddy Tomkins said: “It’s an unfortunate reality that improvements in the police use of firearms all too often follow shootings by the police.

“We in HMICS have conducted this inspection, not because of a specific incident but to ensure police use of firearms is as robust and evidence-based as possible.

The concern expressed in the report over the pace at which certain milestones in this area have been reached is shared by myself and my colleagues Assistant Chief Constable Colin Menzies Acpos

“We recommend that all Scottish forces should work towards achieving the national police firearms training provisional licence within the next six months.

“This will require them to embrace the necessary scrutiny and improvement processes and collate important data to inform decisions about baseline and specialist services.”

Assistant Chief Constable Colin Menzies, of Acpos, said the comments from HMICS “highlight a challenging area of our work”.

“The concern expressed in the report over the pace at which certain milestones in this area have been reached is shared by myself and my colleagues,” he said.

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In April 2009 Guernsey’s police took to the L’Eree headland to perform a firearms training exercise. BBC Guernsey’s Gareth Owen went along to find out what they did.

It is sometimes taken for granted that we live in relatively safe surroundings in the Bailiwick.

Police cars line for the exercise

I experienced what it was it was like for the officers, but also what criminals would face when being approached.

Members of the unit routinely practice their skills out in the community, this is because Guernsey does not have a training centre so the police practice out on public roads.

One of the armed instructors at Guernsey Police, Andy Hockey, said, “We have to train to this standard so in the event of an incident occurring we are fully prepared to be able to do it.”

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