This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6964145.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Plan to encourage gun informers | Plan to encourage gun informers |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A new government scheme is being drawn up aimed at encouraging members of the public to inform on people they know are in illegal possession of a gun. | A new government scheme is being drawn up aimed at encouraging members of the public to inform on people they know are in illegal possession of a gun. |
| The Home Office says it wants people to tip off a third party so the informer can retain their anonymity. | The Home Office says it wants people to tip off a third party so the informer can retain their anonymity. |
| A spokesman said trials would run in areas where gun crime is worst. | A spokesman said trials would run in areas where gun crime is worst. |
| The announcement comes amid a major police investigation into the death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot in Croxteth, Liverpool, on Wednesday. | The announcement comes amid a major police investigation into the death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, who was shot in Croxteth, Liverpool, on Wednesday. |
| See where teenagers were killed across England | |
| Police in Liverpool said they had been disappointed by the public response to an appeal for locals to identify the killer. | Police in Liverpool said they had been disappointed by the public response to an appeal for locals to identify the killer. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said people who knew where firearms were hidden or were holding them for a relative or friend needed to be able to come forward without revealing their identity. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said people who knew where firearms were hidden or were holding them for a relative or friend needed to be able to come forward without revealing their identity. |
| Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun Jacqui SmithHome Secretary | Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun Jacqui SmithHome Secretary |
| In an interview in Sunday's News of the World, she said police and Home Office officials were considering establishing a network of neutral "drop off zones" where weapons could be handed in. | In an interview in Sunday's News of the World, she said police and Home Office officials were considering establishing a network of neutral "drop off zones" where weapons could be handed in. |
| She said: "Sometimes people directly ask friends or other members of their family to look after their guns for them. | She said: "Sometimes people directly ask friends or other members of their family to look after their guns for them. |
| "Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun," she said. | "Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun," she said. |
| "They know it's wrong and they want to find a way to get that gun off their family member and make sure they are not able to use it and get themselves into the trouble they are obviously going to get themselves into." | "They know it's wrong and they want to find a way to get that gun off their family member and make sure they are not able to use it and get themselves into the trouble they are obviously going to get themselves into." |
| Mrs Smith said people needed to be able to go somewhere to hand in weapons or pass on information anonymously, without necessarily contacting the police directly. | Mrs Smith said people needed to be able to go somewhere to hand in weapons or pass on information anonymously, without necessarily contacting the police directly. |
| 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead in Liverpool | 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead in Liverpool |
| "The most suitable place may not be a local police station, it may be a voluntary organisation that can work with the police and others where family members can go to and feel confident they can get that gun off the streets or out of their family home," she said. | |
| "This means we can actually take that gun out of circulation and stop it from doing harm." | "This means we can actually take that gun out of circulation and stop it from doing harm." |
| A Home Office spokesman said the government is in talks with the police about exactly where and when this initiative could be trialled. | A Home Office spokesman said the government is in talks with the police about exactly where and when this initiative could be trialled. |
| About half of all gun crime takes place in the cities of Liverpool, Manchester and London, he said. | About half of all gun crime takes place in the cities of Liverpool, Manchester and London, he said. |
| Anyone wishing to inform on people anonymously can already do so via Crimestoppers. | Anyone wishing to inform on people anonymously can already do so via Crimestoppers. |
| Return |