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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A pastor in the US state of Kentucky told his flock to bring handguns to church in what he said was an effort to promote safe gun ownership.

Pastor Ken Pagano told parishioners to bring their unloaded guns to New Bethel Church in Louisville for a service celebrating the right to bear arms.

He said he acted after church members voiced fears the Obama administration could tighten gun control laws.

When the service began, some 200 people were present, AP news agency said.

“We are wanting to send a message that there are legal, civil, intelligent and law-abiding citizens who also own guns,” Mr Pagano told the congregation.

“If it were not for a deep-seated belief in the right to bear arms, this country would not be here today,” he said.

Pastor Ken Pagano says he wants to show that gun owners are law-abiding

The pastor also held a handgun raffle, as well as providing information on gun safety.

“I wish more churches did this, I wish more people did this,” the Louisville Courier-Journal quoted one attendee, Doreen Rogers, as saying.

“For some reason, most people think that carrying guns is sinful. It’s not. I think my life is worth protecting.”

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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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Two police forces are to set up a joint firearms support unit saving about £437,000 from their individual budgets.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Police Authorities have given the go-ahead for the project to start in July this year.

The unit will have operational bases at Welwyn Garden City and Kempston where there will also be a training facility.

Officers will be deployed across the two counties as required. The forces have a number of joint operations including a combined major crime unit.

Peter Conniff, chair of Bedfordshire Police Authority, said: “The project will lead greater efficiencies, particularly in relation to training, which is obviously vitally important in this area of work.

“The collaborative initiatives already in place have shown that working together in this way can enable the two forces to deliver a more efficient and resilient policing service to our communities.”

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