Top cop facing gun quiz
QUIZZED: Alan Green
A POLICE chief was being asked today why gun crime has doubled although hand-guns have been banned.
Every hour in Britain there is a crime involving firearms - andTory spokesman for police, James Paice, was meeting Greater Manchester's Deputy Chief Constable Alan Green to discuss the issue.
Mr Paice was also asking why gun crime in Scotland has been halved in the past decade.
He wanted to talk to Mr Green, who is spokesman on gun crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers, about the 36.3 per cent increase in violent crime in Greater Manchester between 1998 and last year, and whether more police are needed.
Conservatives have promised 40,000 extra officers, with Manchester getting 2,271 more.
Mr Paice said there was a contradiction. "From the middle of 1997 all hand-guns were banned and yet gun crime, which is nearly all hand-guns anyway, has doubled.
Evidence
"We have to ask whether legislation dealing with illegal ownership of firearms has any relevance to the illegal use of them for crime."
He said he was worried about the type of guns being used, including conventional gas cartridge weapons, converted replicas, and reactivated guns.
"You also have the real McCoy, although all the evidence I'm getting is that the real problem is former Warsaw Pact weapons.
"The majority of guns being carried by drug gangs are conversions."
Mr Paice was asking Mr Green about the source of the weapons and whether legislation is working.
During today's visit Mr Paice was also meeting Mothers Against Violence, a group of mums whose children have been victims of gun crime in Manchester.
He said: "I want to meet them to understand their perspective. I'm not going as a prophet, I'm going to listen and learn because we'll never solve the problems of crime if local communities aren't involved and supportive."
QUIZZED: Alan Green
A POLICE chief was being asked today why gun crime has doubled although hand-guns have been banned.
Every hour in Britain there is a crime involving firearms - andTory spokesman for police, James Paice, was meeting Greater Manchester's Deputy Chief Constable Alan Green to discuss the issue.
Mr Paice was also asking why gun crime in Scotland has been halved in the past decade.
He wanted to talk to Mr Green, who is spokesman on gun crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers, about the 36.3 per cent increase in violent crime in Greater Manchester between 1998 and last year, and whether more police are needed.
Conservatives have promised 40,000 extra officers, with Manchester getting 2,271 more.
Mr Paice said there was a contradiction. "From the middle of 1997 all hand-guns were banned and yet gun crime, which is nearly all hand-guns anyway, has doubled.
Evidence
"We have to ask whether legislation dealing with illegal ownership of firearms has any relevance to the illegal use of them for crime."
He said he was worried about the type of guns being used, including conventional gas cartridge weapons, converted replicas, and reactivated guns.
"You also have the real McCoy, although all the evidence I'm getting is that the real problem is former Warsaw Pact weapons.
"The majority of guns being carried by drug gangs are conversions."
Mr Paice was asking Mr Green about the source of the weapons and whether legislation is working.
During today's visit Mr Paice was also meeting Mothers Against Violence, a group of mums whose children have been victims of gun crime in Manchester.
He said: "I want to meet them to understand their perspective. I'm not going as a prophet, I'm going to listen and learn because we'll never solve the problems of crime if local communities aren't involved and supportive."
BAd criminals you must obey the laws that ban handguns! Enlish Gun Control
!
