Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
- For each of the last five years up to the date of this request, the number of incidents where there has been a negligent discharge of a police-issue firearm in your force. To be clear, by "negligent discharge" I mean any incident where a police-issue firearm has been fired when it should not have been or when it was not intended to do so.
- Where possible, please provide brief details of the circumstances of that discharge - ie, description of the weapon, the location, whether during training or operational circumstances, whether it resulted in any injury.
- For each of the last five years, the number of incidents where there has been a failure by a member of your force to maintain proper possession of a police-issue firearm. To be clear, by "failure to maintain proper possession" I mean any incident where a police-issue firearm has been left unattended by an officer or otherwise not been in the full possession of an officer when it should have been.
- Where possible, please provide brief details of the circumstances of each incident of this nature - ie description of the weapon, location, whether during training or operational circumstances.
- For questions 1 and 3, please indicate whether any incidents resulted in disciplinary action and the result of that disciplinary action.
In Response:
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Operations Department of Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by Northumbria Police.
I am able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
- 2015 = 0
2016 = 1
2017 = 0
2018 = 0
2019 = 1
2,
Intermediate Rifle. Rear Yard of police armoury. Operational. No injury.
Carbine. Rear of ARV in street. Operational. No injury.
3. Nil for period.
4. N/A.
5. Both - Management Action and retraining.