When the cops come calling - BASC Advise

[Christel]

https://basc.org.uk/blog/offbeat/when-t ... -243470521

All shooters - all disciplines - if you have guns in the house, please take the link on board.

[Mattnall]

While I always advocate safe handling and storage and also cooperation with the police, do remember that unless they have a warrant they cannot demand entry unless they think a crime has taken place, is taking place or about to happen and they must tell you of this fact before they enter in most general circumstances. You have the right to refuse them entry and ask them to go away and make an appointment for a more convenient time.

LINK, also from BASC

Having been on the receiving end of several search warrants and also subject to an illegal search and seizure (resulting in loss of one firearm for a few months and ultimately the officer concerned being disciplined) I would caution anyone dealing with unannounced visits to their home. BASC legal team were very helpful in all cases and even the local police force were on side, more so than other organisations I am a member of.

Read up on the law and read the two missives from BASC in this thread, stay alert and within the law and keep your house in order.

[Christel]

Mattnall

[Pippin89]

All persons employed by the police have Crown Immunity and can handle firearms and ammunition.

I actually asked my FEO this as it has come up a few times on here. I have seen a couple of posts saying that an officer at a, traffic stop for example, don't have the authority to handle guns so cannot seize them.

The FEO's response, same as above, is that all police officers have authority to handle firearms if they are seizing or taking control of them for public safety.

[Pete]

I'd think about stripping the rifles down to barrelled action + bolt.............if I had time/knew they were coming.

Would they not want to take ammunition as well?

Pete

[shugie]

All persons employed by the police have Crown Immunity and can handle firearms and ammunition.

I actually asked my FEO this as it has come up a few times on here. I have seen a couple of posts saying that an officer at a, traffic stop for example, don't have the authority to handle guns so cannot seize them.

The FEO's response, same as above, is that all police officers have authority to handle firearms if they are seizing or taking control of them for public safety.

That does make sense, removing a firearm from a public place to keep people safe is a reasonable thing for any police officer to do.

[Triffid]

I would be weary of any voluntary surrender of my firearms. It would be a case of 'put-up or shut-up'. However I can't really see any circumstances where this would be an issue.

". . . if police do decide to formally revoke a
certificate (which should be in writing), the revocation allows a right of appeal. Simply
handing over your firearms does not attract that right of appeal and the police may keep
your guns for a considerable time without a right of review or appeal."

Triffid