FOI Guns, Ammunition (411-2022/23)

Request

Information regarding gun confiscations, recoveries and those handed in by amnesty or other made by your force between 2021 - 2022.

Q1. Please may you provide the number of guns, ammunition and any other live ammunition weapons such as grenades that you took off the streets between August 2021 - August 2022.

Q2. Please may you provide the types of weapons recovered - were they pistols, automatics, semi automatics.

Q3. Any photos you have of large hauls/standout hauls from this period.

Q4. Any photos that you have of standout evidence such as unusual weapons, fully automatic rifles from this period.

Q5.  If neither of the above apply, please just provide a few photos of the weapons recovered.

Q6. And please explain what happens to weapons once confiscated.

Q7. And please may you provide a simple figure of gun confiscations, recoveries and those handed in by amnesty or other made by your force between August 2020 - August 2021 for comparison. Don't need pictures for these, just figures.

Response

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.

Q1. 1461

Q2. Please see the table below which shows the types of firearms seized from August 2021 to August 2022.

Component part	Firearm : Pistol
Silencer / sound moderator	Firearm : Replica/Imitation firearm/BB gun
Ammunition (instances, not rounds)	Firearm : Revolver
Air / gas weapon	Firearm : Rifle
Firearm : Other firearm	Firearm : Shotgun

 Q3, 4 & 5. Some information can be found by following the below links.

Three arrested as drugs and weapons seized | North Yorkshire Police

Drugs, knives and sword seized as man arrested in warrant operation | North Yorkshire Police

Keep guns and knives away from criminals and hand them in to us | North Yorkshire Police

I am exempting any further information to this question pursuant to section 21 (Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means) and section 30 (Investigations). Please see the explanation below.

Q6. Confiscated weapons are destroyed using a specialist contracted supplier.

Q7. 1439

Exemption Explanation

Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies. Please see the exemption explanations below.

Section 21 – Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

Section 21 is an absolute class based exemption and I am not required to consider the harm or public interest when applying this exemption.

Section 30 - Investigations

Section 30 is a qualified, class-based exemption, which requires that I conduct a public interest test to balance the legitimate interests of the public in knowing the information against the interests of non-disclosure.

Public Interest Test S30

Reasons for Disclosure

Disclosure may give the public better awareness which may reduce crime. The public have an interest in understanding how the police investigate crime, as well as the outcomes of these investigations. There is legitimate public interest in knowing how public funds are spent in relation to weapons seizures.

Reasons against Disclosure

Law enforcement tactics would be compromised if information was released premeturely. The force’s future law enforcement capabilities would be affected. Disclosure could hinder the prevention and detection and crime, as any offenders could potentially take measure to avoid detection. Ongoing investigations could be compromised.

Balancing Test

After considering the reasons for and against disclosure, it is my opinion that the reasons for non-disclosure outweigh the reasons for disclosure.

Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a refusal notice under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to part of your request. In addition, North Yorkshire Police can neither confirm nor deny it hold any other information pursuant to Section 30(3) ‘Investigations’

In addition, North Yorkshire Police can neither confirm nor deny it holds any other information pursuant to Section 30(3) ‘Investigations’. Please see the exemption explanation below.

Harm in Confirming or Denying Information is Held:

Every effort should be made to release information under FOI. However, to confirm or deny the full extent of police actions around the use of certain technologies for purposes other than what is already publically acknowledged, would undermine ongoing investigations, and would reveal policing tactics and techniques used covertly in the prevention and detection of crime.

Revealing if any other information, is held regarding force policies, guidance, and documentation, would help subjects avoid detection, and inhibit the prevention and detection of crime. Providing this level of information, if held, would result in presenting a real risk of identifying the resources available to individual forces to covertly monitor groups or individuals likely to be committing offences within the force area.

Any information identifying the focus of policing activity could be used to the advantage of criminals or those with a criminal intent.  Information that undermines the operational integrity of these activities will adversely affect public safety and have a negative impact on both Police investigations and operational law enforcement.

Balance Test:

The points above highlight the merits of confirming, or denying, whether information pertinent to this request exists (other than published). The Police Service is charged with enforcing the law, prevention and detecting crime and protecting the communities we serve. The Police Service will never divulge whether or not information is held if to do so would undermine any investigations or be detrimental to operational law enforcement.

The public entrust the Police Service to make appropriate decisions with regard to their safety and protection and the only way of reducing risk is to be cautious with any information that is released. Confirming or denying whether information is or isn’t held would definitely reveal policing tactics and practices and would assist those intent on causing harm.

Therefore, at this moment in time, it is our opinion that for these issues the balance test for confirming, nor denying, that information is held is made out.

No inference can be taken from this refusal that information does or does not exist.

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.