Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police demands changes to firearms law
An inquest has found all five victims of a mass shooting in Plymouth were unlawfully killed
Last updated 21st Feb 2023
A police chief is calling on the Government to change firearms laws in the wake of the Keyham shootings.
Will Kerr, the newly appointed chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, is demanding the "permissive" 1968 Firearms Act is reformed.
He wants to see the law strengthened and the burden placed on the applicant to prove they are suitable to hold a firearm or shotgun certificate.
"Currently we are faced with 43 police forces independently interpreting discretionary guidance from a law created in 1968," he said.
"Both the Firearms Act of 1968 and its associated guidance should be reviewed to change the permissive presumption in favour of being issued with a certificate or licence.
"If you want to own a gun with all the risks and the responsibilities that provides, then the responsibility is on you to satisfy the police that you have a legitimate reason for holding a gun and you are a safe person to do so."
Mr Kerr added: "I will be doing everything possible to influence nationally around statutory guidance and legislation becoming clearer and more rigorous for chief constables to follow and will be working closely with colleagues from the National Police Chiefs Council."
He said he accepted his force had failed the families of Keyham, but said the police had to collectively work together to prevent further tragedies.
"I accept Devon and Cornwall Police has failed our communities in regard to Jake Davison, but had there been clearer national guidance, direction and specific legislation concerning firearms licensing - decision making locally may well have been very different," he said.
"I'm deeply, deeply sorry to those families for the loss that they've experienced, and they have had to hear how Jake Davison had a gun when he very clearly and manifestly should not have had a gun."
Since the killings, the Devon and Cornwall force has invested ÂŁ4 million into the firearms licensing unit and doubled the staff, as well as replacing the senior management.
Refusal rates for applications for both firearms and shotguns are also now the highest in the country.
Mr Kerr said he could not guarantee there would not be a similar incident in the future.
He added: "Could I give that guarantee today and what we said in our evidence in the inquest is that I would dearly, dearly love to be able to give that assurance to the public today.
"I think that the standards and the resources and investment that we've put in firearms licencing in Devon and Cornwall Police means that it is highly unlikely that somebody like Jake Davison could ever possess a gun.
"I can't give that assurance today with any integrity. I know that the processes are fundamentally better now than they were 18 months ago, but I still think nationally there is work to be done."