Re: 'That' Evening Standard article - complaint
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 12:10 pm
What I think would be a constructive next step IMHO is somebody in a reasonably official position at Bisley to contact newspaper, editor/sub-editor and journalist involved. Make a polite offer for him to come to Bisley to allow him to see the types of guns involved and the legalities that wraps around them.
The issue for me which is becoming increasingly clear is the role of NABIS in all of this, as an organisation they are not widely known by the public and the press appear to be treating them as beyond reproach or questioning. They present themselves as professional experts dealing with gun crime. The press need to understand that they have developed a habit of releasing if not incorrect certainly extremely disingenuous information. Like ACPO they are not behaving in an independent or neutral manner. Don't get me wrong I think NABIS are essential to support the police with forensic investigation of firearms, it is a specialist area that requires special resources and expertise. The problem is NABIS like ACPO have been increasingly taking a position based upon a clear agenda - they don't like historic pistols. The case in point telling a journalist that a Browning High Power was classed as an antique in a court case with no corroborating evidence. My guess is they are more likely playing fast and easy with the details and on investigation if there was such a case it won't involve section (58)2 but rather deacs, airsoft pistols or an undeclared gun brought back as a war trophy (the latter issue does crop up surprisingly regularly). If it is a complete lie then NABIS have committed a serious offence in my eye that would actually require official investigation. An organisation like NABIS should not be releasing false or inaccurate information to the public.
The issue for me which is becoming increasingly clear is the role of NABIS in all of this, as an organisation they are not widely known by the public and the press appear to be treating them as beyond reproach or questioning. They present themselves as professional experts dealing with gun crime. The press need to understand that they have developed a habit of releasing if not incorrect certainly extremely disingenuous information. Like ACPO they are not behaving in an independent or neutral manner. Don't get me wrong I think NABIS are essential to support the police with forensic investigation of firearms, it is a specialist area that requires special resources and expertise. The problem is NABIS like ACPO have been increasingly taking a position based upon a clear agenda - they don't like historic pistols. The case in point telling a journalist that a Browning High Power was classed as an antique in a court case with no corroborating evidence. My guess is they are more likely playing fast and easy with the details and on investigation if there was such a case it won't involve section (58)2 but rather deacs, airsoft pistols or an undeclared gun brought back as a war trophy (the latter issue does crop up surprisingly regularly). If it is a complete lie then NABIS have committed a serious offence in my eye that would actually require official investigation. An organisation like NABIS should not be releasing false or inaccurate information to the public.