Police Use of Firearms The Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing (Mr. Vernon Coaker) The latest figures from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 show that the number of police operations in which firearms were authorised was 21,181—an increase of 17.5 per cent. on the previous year. The number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO’s) was 6,780—an increase of 52 (1 per cent.) officers overall on the previous year. The number of operations involving armed response vehicles was 16,712—an increase of 2,197 (15 per cent.) on the previous year. The police discharged a conventional firearm in seven incidents (up from 3 incidents in the previous year). Full details are set out in the tables below: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |2001-02|2002-03|2003-04|2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |13991 |14827 |16657 |15981 |18891 |18032 |21181 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Avon & Somerset |195 |262 |311 |333 |247 |285 |328 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Bedfordshire |237 |301 |442 |475 |575 |663* |1217 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cambridgeshire |114 |57 |104 |241 |201 |207 |316 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cheshire |419 |451 |397 |358 |367 |340 |317 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cleveland |37 |170 |453 |530 |657 |293 |577 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |City of London |40 |131 |364 |404 |323 |239 |365 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cumbria |71 |77 |72 |152 |112 |92 |92 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Derbyshire |275 |401 |369 |287 |305 |223 |211 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Devon & Cornwall|101 |96 |112 |71 |84 |80 |143 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dorset |184 |193 |231 |223 |263 |354 |258 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Durham |89 |83 |156 |144 |291 |340 |206 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Essex |323 |312 |275 |296 |432 |245 |529 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gloucestershire |165 |185 |127 |176 |229 |280 |162 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gtr Manchester |580 |518 |507 |461 |478 |481 |497 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hampshire |198 |162 |208 |237 |289 |352 |382 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hertfordshire |112 |172 |195 |185 |187 |280 |303 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Humberside |297 |187 |183 |206 |362 |235 |209 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Kent |115 |137 |207 |163 |219 |170 |202 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lancashire |232 |238 |318 |241 |240 |410 |388 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Leicestershire |300 |268 |295 |260 |363 |334 |318 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lincolnshire |477 |392 |386 |294 |220 |157 |158 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Merseyside |1020 |628 |751 |733 |669 |727 |829 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Metropolitan |2447 |3199 |3563 |2964 |4711 |3878 |4948 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Norfolk |175 |200 |178 |195 |175 |153 |174 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northamptonshire |43 |138 |148 |158 |137 |156 |159 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northumbria |1440 |1275 |1140 |977 |611 |332 |229 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Yorkshire |92 |100 |147 |185 |183 |282 |329 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Nottinghamshire |384 |452 |459 |408 |394 |289 |270 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Yorkshire |258 |463 |484 |546 |749 |737 |628 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Staffordshire |232 |281 |255 |216 |171 |250 |244 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Suffolk |163 |270 |251 |153 |202 |256 |193 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Surrey |245 |247 |203 |151 |222 |222 |375 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Sussex |248 |204 |280 |187 |190 |201 |331 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Thames Valley |179 |167 |195 |289 |427 |264 |293 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Warwickshire |130 |149 |164 |124 |180 |162 |150 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Mercia |117 |91 |197 |162 |122 |155 |202 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Midlands |822 |902 |1377 |1264 |1044 |1557 |2350 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Yorkshire |757 |604 |575 |853 |1335 |1272 |1130 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Wiltshire |45 |58 |63 |88 |139 |226 |128 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dyfed Powys |28 |29 |28 |51 |63 |72 |155 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gwent |20 |37 |40 |81 |94 |133 |334 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Wales |302 |259 |197 |223 |350 |340 |259 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Wales |283 |281 |250 |236 |279 |308 |293 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |2001-02|2002-03|2003-04|2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |5776 |5763 |6096 |6243 |6584 |6728 |6780 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Avon & Somerset |116 |84 |122 |118 |117 |103 |123 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Bedfordshire |48 |53 |58 |56 |59 |57 |53 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cambridgeshire |56 |71 |60 |60 |50 |46 |49 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cheshire |81 |89 |75 |76 |73 |80 |72 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cleveland |85 |80 |95 |100 |100 |105 |97 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |City of London |73 |72 |86 |89 |86 |45 |49 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cumbria |92 |87 |89 |90 |89 |90 |97 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Derbyshire |80 |69 |70 |74 |75 |69 |61 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Devon & Cornwall|108 |115 |132 |123 |122 |132 |142 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dorset |57 |59 |60 |64 |62 |67 |71 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Durham |86 |102 |97 |103 |100 |102 |89 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Essex |180 |184 |186 |202 |205 |220 |225 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gloucestershire |71 |80 |82 |93 |92 |94 |95 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gtr Manchester |219 |202 |205 |187 |245 |217 |250 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hampshire |87 |94 |94 |92 |97 |83 |85 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hertfordshire |46 |47 |50 |53 |52 |49 |53 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Humberside |96 |96 |96 |101 |92 |83 |87 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Kent |113 |93 |90 |94 |94 |98 |87 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lancashire |138 |129 |122 |115 |123 |103 |143 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Leicestershire |69 |68 |51 |53 |59 |67 |64 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lincolnshire |91 |87 |78 |86 |87 |75 |77 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Merseyside |78 |84 |94 |93 |129 |139 |153 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Metropolitan |1805 |1823 |2060 |2134 |2331 |2584 |2530 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Norfolk |104 |109 |114 |125 |119 |127 |114 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northamptonshire |51 |56 |52 |50 |56 |59 |53 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northumbria |125 |99 |90 |93 |98 |92 |96 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Yorkshire |66 |64 |60 |56 |78 |67 |67 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Nottinghamshire |136 |131 |138 |138 |149 |146 |137 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Yorkshire |92 |100 |98 |122 |116 |118 |106 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Staffordshire |71 |63 |67 |76 |70 |82 |82 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Suffolk |90 |80 |96 |88 |84 |78 |74 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Surrey |62 |48 |53 |49 |51 |45 |54 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Sussex |120 |141 |134 |130 |129 |129 |123 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Thames Valley |156 |180 |172 |176 |180 |186 |180 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Warwickshire |50 |51 |46 |53 |55 |59 |63 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Mercia |125 |131 |139 |141 |152 |133 |163 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Midlands |111 |110 |124 |134 |145 |175 |177 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Yorkshire |116 |132 |140 |130 |150 |148 |147 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Wiltshire |71 |78 |80 |74 |72 |69 |67 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dyfed Powys |77 |62 |58 |79 |68 |72 |67 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gwent |57 |60 |71 |74 |86 |64 |63 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Wales |83 |75 |73 |65 |57 |56 |57 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Wales |138 |125 |139 |134 |130 |115 |138 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |2001-02|2002-03|2003-04|2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Total |11574 |11848 |13218 |13137 |14355 |14515 |16712 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Avon & Somerset |173 |215 |249 |312 |167 |192 |292 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Bedfordshire |172 |269 |414 |419 |534 |639* |1171 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cambridgeshire |43 |45 |155 |172 |160 |172 |221 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cheshire |523 |337 |356 |773 |807 |793 |642 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cleveland |13 |63 |86 |154 |285 |290 |554 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |City of London |39 |131 |364 |275 |234 |183 |200 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Cumbria |53 |45 |65 |134 |90 |72 |74 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Derbyshire |253 |363 |312 |254 |257 |183 |187 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Devon & Cornwall|76 |32 |94 |54 |54 |76 |120 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dorset |182 |180 |215 |195 |246 |322 |238 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Durham |57 |66 |96 |91 |256 |204 |192 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Essex |165 |176 |138 |138 |155 |224 |226 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gloucestershire |140 |166 |109 |121 |145 |213 |147 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gtr Manchester |528 |406 |440 |364 |306 |214 |196 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hampshire |116 |108 |128 |167 |178 |270 |271 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Hertfordshire |81 |129 |157 |155 |160 |226 |262 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Humberside |273 |170 |158 |184 |335 |232 |183 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Kent |89 |132 |193 |124 |183 |373 |364 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lancashire |192 |185 |273 |228 |232 |383 |313 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Leicestershire |292 |232 |269 |232 |328 |313 |268 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Lincolnshire |470 |367 |355 |276 |210 |147 |153 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Merseyside |974 |547 |687 |677 |611 |644 |734 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Metropolitan |1667 |2447 |2423 |2322 |2572 |2770 |2303 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Norfolk |157 |186 |169 |163 |149 |133 |165 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northamptonshire |25 |90 |99 |89 |101 |119 |127 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Northumbria |1349 |1204 |1063 |893 |585 |299 |199 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Yorkshire |60 |67 |110 |144 |208 |268 |318 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Nottinghamshire |333 |397 |404 |336 |342 |256 |246 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Yorkshire |221 |280 |322 |438 |632 |522 |493 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Staffordshire |208 |241 |212 |183 |154 |222 |231 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Suffolk |116 |160 |194 |119 |149 |204 |148 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Surrey |225 |240 |190 |140 |204 |209 |380 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Sussex |189 |171 |250 |163 |162 |165 |311 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Thames Valley |174 |167 |179 |265 |355 |227 |254 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Warwickshire |104 |31 |138 |102 |144 |121 |113 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Mercia |100 |111 |241 |152 |94 |120 |121 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Midlands |563 |592 |975 |952 |745 |518 |2003 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |West Yorkshire |609 |565 |543 |656 |1040 |1048 |1098 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Wiltshire |43 |39 |28 |54 |124 |190 |359 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Dyfed Powys |28 |29 |28 |48 |55 |72 |135 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Gwent |16 |16 |23 |74 |85 |109 |257 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |North Wales |265 |198 |153 |180 |299 |295 |221 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |South Wales |218 |253 |161 |165 |223 |283 |222 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notes: i) Source: Home Office Public Order Unit, based on information aggregated from figures provided by individual police forces as part of the Home Office Annual Data Requirement. This was followed by a further quality assurance process involving the Home Office asking individual forces to verify and sign off their figures. ii) * indicates revised figures for 2006-07 from Bedfordshire Police iii) The information provided is a regular annual update of figures previously published 31 Jan 2008, Official Report, column WS49 and on the Home Office website. iv) Home Office guidance to forces for providing these figures is contained within the booklet: “Annual Data Requirement, Police Personnel and Performance Data, Notes for Guidance”. For the purpose of this statistical return AFOs are deemed to be deployed when “they are required to conduct a specific task during which their possession of a firearm (with appropriate authorisation) is a required element”—Chapter 3, paragraph 3.1 ACPO Manual of Guidance. v) In addition to the total number of operations, a further sub-category is required regarding those operations where the initial or sole response is by Armed Response Vehicle (ARV). vi) Each incident will be classed as only one operation regardless of the number of personnel/deployments or tactics employed to deal with the incident. vii) Deployments also include those incidents where AFOs “self-authorise”. viii) The number of officers authorised to use firearms as at 31 March 2008. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Year |2001-02|2002-03|2003-04|2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Incidents |11 |10 |4 |5 |9 |3 |7 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |% of Incidents Compared with Number of Authorised Operations|0.079 |0.067 |0.024 |0.031 |0.048 |0.017 |0.033 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: i) Information on number of incidents provided by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)