WARNINGS from police that Jersey is at risk of “extreme” gun-related violence due to current rules around home-stored ammunition have met a political roadblock, after the Home Affairs Minister said there is no scope for major gun law reform before the end of this term.
Responding to the concerns of Detective Chief Inspector Chris Beechey reported in Monday’s newspaper, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat told the JEP that there isn’t “capacity to make more fundamental changes” and that she was instead working with the Comite des Connétables on “solutions that could be implemented by the next government”.
DCI Beechey had argued that recreational shooters – who make up roughly 90% of the Island’s 1,119 firearms certificate holders – should not be allowed to store ammunition at home.
He contended that they should be required to purchase and use ammunition only at approved clubs, “with no exceptions except in tightly governed, clearly evidenced cases of operational need”.
He acknowledged that the Comité des Connétables had recently announced a new policy whereby all firearms certificates would be issued without ammunition by default.
Those wishing to possess ammunition would need to apply to their Connétable and provide proof of regular club attendance, and only a “minimal” amount of ammunition would be authorised for home storage in most cases.
But in a written submission to the Government and Parishes Review Panel, DCI Beechey stated that – while he believed the change “represents a step forward” – it did not “go far enough”.
“This falls short of the aspiration for zero home-held ammunition among recreational shooters and does not fully align with the risk reduction model previously advocated by both local and international experts,” he said.
He also argued that the distinction between “minimal” and “large” quantities of ammunition was “largely academic” in terms of public safety, citing the risk of “opportunities for misuse, theft, or tragic incidents”.
Responding in a statement yesterday, Deputy Le Hegarat said: “The police are rightly focussed on reducing risk and public safety, as Detective Chief Inspector Beechey’s comment reflect.”
The minister continued: “As previously stated, there was no capacity to develop the law in this parliamentary session, so I have been working with the Comite des Connétables to develop solutions that could be implemented by the next government.
“I support the proposals concerning restriction on home storage of ammunition, and I have discussed this with the Comite previously.”
Deputy Le Hegarat noted that “the Connétables have agreed to take a much more restrictive view on home ammunition storage when granting new licences”, which she described as “a good step forward in the absence of capacity to make more fundamental changes”.
Deputy Le Hegarat added that: “More radical changes would require consultation and further consideration, with public safety as the primary consideration.”
