The Metropolitan Police has set up an advisory panel to improve co-operation and communication between its firearms enquiry team and BASC, and other organisations which represent shooting interests.
The Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the Met’s firearms enquiry team will hold meetings every six months. Mike Eveleigh from the BASC firearms team attended the inaugural meeting.
The purpose of the IAG is to provide:
• a medium through which the concerns of the shooting community can be channelled to the Met’s firearms team.
• a repository of expertise in the key shooting disciplines that the police can consult.
• a channel through which shooting organisations can be informed of developments and points of issue from the police perspective.
Chief Supt Mike Gallagher of the specialist firearms command said; “This is an exciting and innovative development which will help foster mutual understanding, help manage risk and enhance the service we provide to the shooting community.”
BASC’s senior firearms officer Mike Eveleigh said; “This is a great development. Our relationship with the Metropolitan Police firearms enquiry team has been improving steadily over the past few years. This now formalises that relationship and involves other shooting organisations who have expertise in areas such as target shooting and firearm collecting.”
Peter Glenser, a BASC Council member and barrister specialising in firearms law said; “This is a very welcome initiative. Firearms law is immensely complicated and by simply improving communications we can avoid many unnecessary areas of conflict. The Met has set a valuable example and I hope other forces may follow it.”