Weapons amnesty bid to make the streets safer

This picture from West Yorkshire Police shows a number of guns and weapons seized during a two-week amnesty in February and March this year and provide members of the community with a safe place to dispose of them.

Police say many weapons are held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or are overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes.

The surrender gives people the chance to dispose of them by taking them to a local designated police station and handing it in.

Police are also keen to hear from anyone who may have information about the illegal possession of firearms including ammunition and is seeking help to identify so-called ‘safe’ houses where they may be held.

During the campaign those surrendering firearms, ammunition, knives and other offensive weapons will not face prosecution for simply possessing these weapons and they can remain anonymous.

This is the latest in a series of successful similar initiatives held by West Yorkshire Police in recent years with hundreds of guns and other weapons being handed in.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Hankinson said: “We want to remove weapons so they don’t end up in the wrong hands on the streets.

“Weapons don’t recognise county boundaries so having a national surrender enables people across the region and across the country to surrender weapons safely and anonymously, no matter where they live.

“Incidents involving the reported use of weapons are treated very seriously.

“Communities hold the key to helping reduce firearms-related crime.

“Information from witnesses and local communities is vital if we are to obtain evidence needed to arrest and prosecute offenders and we would ask people to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

“We want as many weapons as possible and would encourage people to hand them in.”

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “One weapon off the streets is one less that can be used to harm or threaten our communities.”