N03A Unidentified firearms and explosives 

1. Security protective marking

1.1. Not protectively marked.

2. Summary of changes

2.1. The following changes were made to this policy on 30 March 2010:

• policy N05 has been merged in to this policy;
• refers to the submission of items to the National Ballistics Intelligence Database; and
• incorporates the submission of items to the Defence and Research Agency.

2.2. This policy is due for review in March 2012.

3. Application

3.1. This policy applies to any police officer, police staff employee or Private Finance Initiative (PFI) staff who may deal with unidentified firearms or explosives.

4. Purpose

4.1. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for the:

• safe handling;
• packaging;
• storage; and
• submission of unidentified firearms and explosives to the relevant forensic service providers.

5. Safety 

5.1.  The safety of the public and all staff is paramount. Extreme care must be taken when handling firearms and explosives. For a full explanation of weapon safety see policy N03 and for explosives/bombs see policy M26.

6. Introduction

6.1. Firearms are examined by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) laboratory and/or by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NaBIS) 'hub' in Birmingham.

6.2. The FSS laboratory provides evidential standard information from weapons, ballistic material and trace evidence recovery whilst the NaBIS provides intelligence for a national database linking ballistic items to tactical intelligence recorded by UK police forces and other UK law enforcement agencies.

6.3. Firearms either found by or handed into the police for disposal, will not routinely be sent to the FSS or NaBIS unless enquiries or intelligence suggest that the firearm has been used in crime.

6.4. Explosives are examined by the Defence and Research Agency (DERA) at Fort Halstead. This laboratory has a Police Liaison Officer from SO15 Bomb Squad who advises and assists investigators requiring information relating to explosives or requiring scene attendance. This officer may be contacted via the Duty Officer at the Force Contact and Control Centre or via a Principal or Senior Crime Scene Investigator (CSI).

7. Reasons for the submission of firearms

7.1. Reasons for the submission of firearms are as follows:

• to determine the legal status of a firearm;
• to determine if a firearm is capable of discharging a projectile;
• to determine from what angle and position a firearm was discharged;
• to compare weapons and ammunition to determine if a particular firearm was used in an incident; and
• to provide national intelligence regarding recovered firearms and ballistic material.

 

8. Surrendered firearms 

8.1. PFI staff cannot take possession of any firearms. A police officer or member of police staff (who have crown exemption) should be directed to attend and act as the seizing officer.

8.2. The person receiving the weapon/s and ammunition must create a Storm record to request the attendance of an Armed Response Vehicle (ARV) crew or CSI to make the weapon safe.

8.3.  The circumstances of the depositor's possession of the weapon must be investigated to identify the following:

• the identity of the person surrendering the firearm;
• the date of birth of the person surrendering the firearm;
• the address of the person surrendering the firearm; and
• the account of how the person surrendering the firearm came into possession of it.

8.4.  The person receiving the weapon/s and ammunition must inform the Area Intelligence Co-ordinator highlighting any suspicious circumstances and seek confirmation of the level of forensic preservation required.

8.5.  The Area Intelligence Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring such information is responded to appropriately and that relevant enquiries are made to identify any potential criminal use of the weapon/ammunition.

 

8.6. Weapons or ammunition considered, by the Area Intelligence Co-ordinator to have potentially been used in crime, must be submitted to the NaBIS.

 

9. Discovered firearms 

9.1.  All unidentified firearms discovered by police will have enquiries made, to establish the history of the firearm, by:

• the officer who is the Officer In The Case (OIC) for the original investigation leading to the discovery of the firearm(s); or
• an officer nominated to assume such responsibility by the OIC or another supervisor.

9.2. The designated officer will conduct enquiries regarding the firearm and consider it for submission to the NaBIS.

9.3.  In these incidents it is anticipated that there will be a requirement to forensically link persons to the ballistic material. It is therefore important that all appropriate forensic opportunities are considered when the items are first found.

9.4.  Weapons requiring both forensic examination and NaBIS examination should be discussed with a Senior CSI and a forensic strategy should be formulated. 

9.5.  Weapons and ammunition should be sent to the forensic service provider for trace evidence recovery before submission to NaBIS.

9.6.  Items submitted to the FSS and/or NaBIS require a signed MG21 form.   

9.7. Discoveries of weapons and/or ammunition will be notified to the Area Intelligence Co-ordinator, as soon as reasonably practicable, by the OIC for the original investigation leading to the discovery of the firearm(s).

10. Storage of firearms

10.1.  PFI staff cannot take possession of any firearms. A police officer or member of police staff (who have crown exemption) should be directed to handle the firearm.

 

10.2. When handling firearms care must be taken to minimise loss of forensic evidence. Full details on the safe handling and forensic recovery of firearms, ammunition and discharged incidents can be found on the Forensic Investigation Intranet site. CSI should be consulted in such cases but firearms will always be stored as follows:

• each firearm will be placed in it’s own box, with a window;
• all ammunition and magazines should be packaged and exhibited separately;
• the exhibit label must be completed;
• a ‘property seal’ will be attached (see policy B07);
• the weapon/s or ammunition must be booked into the special property system (see policy B07) and a signature must be obtained from the depositor to disclaim rights of ownership;
• the attending ARV officer or CSI must complete the NaBIS gun safety checklist form (NB00803) and should record all the relevant information from the weapon prior to its packaging and sealing;
• the ARV officer or CSI must ensure that a completed green 'gun safe' label is attached to the outside of the packaging in a prominent place;
• if the Property Office is closed, the firearm will be placed in the 'Transit Store' (see policy B07);

10.2. Area Firearms Enquiry Officers (FEO's) will attend at the property store on a regular basis and will supply information regarding weapons/ammunition of interest to the Local Clearing House (LCH) within the Forensic Investigation department at force Headquarters for entry onto the NaBIS database.

11. Disposal of firearms

11.1.  The OIC, in relation to firearm enquiries, will inform the Property Officer when all enquiries are complete.

11.2.  No firearm will be disposed of until authorisation is given by the OIC.

11.3.  The Property Officer will dispose of the firearm in compliance with policy B07.

12. Explosives

12.1. For guidance on procedures in relation to bombs and scene management, see policy M26.

12.2. Due to the fact that the DERA at Fort Halstead does not carry out conventional forensic services offered by forensic service providers it is important that the Investigating Officer and Senior CSI formulate an appropriate forensic strategy. This may include the attendance at Fort Halstead of suitably qualified Forensic Investigation department staff to advise on the preservation of potential evidence during the scientist's examination.

12.3. The various significant non-explosive component parts of items will be separated during the examination by the Forensic Scientist, as exhibits for possible examination elsewhere.

12.4. Exhibits are submitted to Fort Halstead via a CSI and the specific examination and movement of exhibits will form part of the agreed forensic strategy formulated by the Investigating Officer and the Senior CSI.

12.5. All submissions to Fort Halstead must be made using a signed MG21/MG/21a form.

12.6. The laboratory must be informed in advance of submissions to allow them to prepare for the arrival of exhibits(s).

12.7. In major cases involving a series of intact or disrupted devices or a large terrorist cache the forensic strategy will be formulated during a case conference involving the Investigating Officer, Senior or Principal CSI, Forensic Scientists and other experts.

13. Equality impact assessment

13.1. This policy has been assessed with regard to its relevance to race and diversity equality. As a result of this assessment the policy has been graded as having a low potential impact.

 

13.2. Attached is the latest equality impact assessment that forms part of the policy review process.