Met police chief backs gun amnesty

12 April 2012

Britain's most senior policeman has given his backing to a gun amnesty as concern about firearms-toting gangs continued to dominate the political agenda.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the time was probably right for a new initiative to encourage the handing over of illegal weapons.

During a visit to Hackney in east London, with Home Secretary John Reid, Sir Ian said: "I am interested in a gun amnesty. I am not saying that we have got to have one, but there is a time for everything and this may well be the time."

He added: "A lot of parents may well be aware that their children have something to do with this and persuade them to take in their guns.

"We will work with our community partners to see if this is the right approach, certainly as far as London is concerned."

The Commissioner also confirmed startling figures on gang membership which emerged in a leaked internal report from the Met earlier this week.

It disclosed that there were thought to be 5,000 gang members in the capital and about 170 active gangs.

Sir Ian said: "It is a Met police report and I do recognise that picture."

He said there was still no definite picture of gangs in the city and that the total would include both highly criminal organisations and others which were much less serious.

He stressed that tackling gun crime and gang membership was not solely a police issue and said it would require a wide range of community measures.

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