Guns R Us

In the past year armed officers have been deployed 235 times across County Durham and Darlington, 141 more than in the previous year. While at one time unarmed officers were often first on the scene following reports regarding firearms, this is no longer the case. "People carrying air guns are potentially putting themselves in a dangerous situation. The more often armed officers are called to incidents involving air guns and other weapons the greater the chance that, at some point, the person who has sparked the alert will behave in a way that will end in tragedy,"said Supt McAloon.
Courtesy of Durham Constabulary Website.


The police are of course talking of the 1994 amendment on the 1968 Firearms Act which states unequivocally:
QUOTE:
Possession of firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
It is an offence for a person to have in his possession any firearm or imitation firearm with intent—
(a) by means thereof to cause, or
(b) to enable another person by means thereof to cause,
any person to believe that unlawful violence will be used against him or another person.”
(2) In Part I of Schedule 6 to that Act (prosecution and punishment of offences), after the entry relating to section 16 there shall be inserted the following entry—
“Section 16A
Possession of firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
On indictment
10 years or a fine; or both.
—”
2 Application of sections 20 and 46 of 1968 Act to imitation firearms
(1) In section 20 of the 1968 Act (trespassing with firearms), after the word “firearm”, in both places where it occurs, there shall be inserted the words “or imitation firearm”.
(2) In subsection (1)(b) of section 46 of that Act (power of search with warrant), after the word “firearm” there shall be inserted the words “, imitation firearm”.
(3) In Part I of Schedule 6 to that Act—
(a) in the entry relating to section 20(1), in the second column, after the word “firearm” there shall be inserted the words "or imitation firearm" and, in the third column, after the words “but not” there shall be inserted the words “in the case of an imitation firearm or; and
(b) in the entry relating to section 20(2), in the second column, after the word “firearm” there shall be inserted the words “or imitation firearm”. UNQUOTE


This is right and proper, no-one should live in fear of the possibility of firearms, imitation or otherwise being discharged in a public place.BB Guns come under this catagory, they are not to be discharged in a public place as many of them fire metal ball bearings which can easily penetrate windows and cause severe injury.
So why then when presented with 8 minutes of video tape showing guns being fired across my property just feet from my windows does a police officer tell me to 'Forget about it - they're just BB guns'?


Below are a selection of excuses, sorry reasons why the police in their wisdom gave me this answer. See if you can pick the right one? 

a) I'm a special case so don't warrant protection?

b) It's always been like that in this place, forget it!

c) We are too busy to help you (can't be ar$ed syndrome)!

d) What's one more crime anyway?

e) We don't care and you can't make us do anything!

THAT WAS A TRICK QUESTION:


Any one or all of the answers is probably right - one thing's for sure we will never really know, only the police have the answer and they're not telling!
So I was left traumatized and made to feel helpless.

Nobody who should have cared about my welfare and safety cared whether my windows were shot out or I suffered injury.

Caring is not in the police handbook!
(In my humble opinion .....of course)