National
Firearms and Explosives Licensing
Firearm
Certificate Holders – Health and Wellbeing
Police Scotland’s priority is to ensure public safety, operate
a firearms licensing process that delivers a quality service to certificate
holders across our diverse communities in Scotland and keep people safe. Our
firearms community currently includes almost 51,000 firearm and shotgun certificate
holders and around 22,000 air weapon certificate holders. We work very closely
with our key partners and colleagues in the Scottish Government, Home Office and
shooting organisations to create a shooting environment that is safe, compliant
with firearms legislation and does not disadvantage our certificate holders.
An important benefit of partnership working is that together
we are committed to safeguarding the welfare of certificate holders by being
alert to and identifying any concerns early. You will be aware that GPs now
share information with us confidentially, regarding any medical concerns they
may have regarding their patients who hold firearms, and this helps to keep certificate
holders and others safe. Police and shooting organisations rely on honest,
responsible certificate holders to inform police if they are diagnosed with or
treated for any relevant medical condition. This forms part of the declaration
signed by applicants when they apply for a firearm or shotgun licence.
Part of our ongoing prevention work is safeguarding the
health and wellbeing of our certificate holders, by intervening early where
there are any concerns. Unfortunately we often find out about problems that they
are experiencing in their lives when it is too late, and sometimes following tragic
circumstances. We need communities to inform the police of any concerns that they
have about their own or other certificate holders’ welfare, even if this is a
situation that may affect someone’s ability to safely possess guns at that time.
These are often temporary situations and can be as a result of a marriage
breakdown, employment challenges, bereavement, physical or mental illness, alcohol
or substance misuse, farming issues, financial difficulties or anything else at
all that may have a negative impact on a person’s wellbeing.
Police Scotland are working in partnership with all of our
key partners across the shooting organisations as we realise that certificate
holders and their families and friends may be reluctant to speak to police and
raise concerns, for fear of having their guns removed. Together we want to
reassure the shooting community that any action taken will follow engagement
with your GP, if a medical concern is identified, and discussion with the
certificate holder and will be proportionate, based on risk and take cognisance
of all the circumstances.
We are already frequently contacted by responsible
certificate holders and their families with concerns about their loved ones and
people regularly volunteer to relinquish their firearms until such time as any
issue has resolved itself or we have received an assurance from their GP that
they are not a danger to themselves or others. Police Scotland encourage this
proactive responsible approach and appreciate that we could be dealing with
working farmers for example whose livelihoods may be affected so we will endeavour
to return firearms as soon as possible. We will also consider other measures
such as enhanced security, remote storage or temporarily sharing guns with
other certificate holders.
If you have any health concerns regarding yourself as a
certificate holder or someone else who holds or has applied for a firearm,
shotgun or air weapon certificate, please call your GP, NHS 24 or
999 in an emergency, as appropriate.
If you are a member of a shooting organisation then you may
wish to contact them to discuss any concerns or you can call Police Scotland on
101 or report a concern anonymously to
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
