Firearms Officers

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/24/001907/G

 Version Date: 29/08/2024

The Alliance Resourcing & Development Department have provided the following information.

1) The total number (headcount) of firearms officers employed by the force as of:
a) 31 March 2022
b) 31 March 2023
c) 31 March 2024

1. a) 31 March 2022 - 74
2. b) 31 March 2023 - 71
3. c) 31 March 2024 - 65
   
   2a) The number (headcount) of firearms officers who voluntarily surrendered their ticket/accreditation to carry firearms within the financial year 2022/23, but remained in service with the force

5

2b) For each instance, please list the month it was surrendered, the reason and whether the individual has since returned to holding a ticket/accreditation

• Officer A – June 2022 – Promotion posting.
• Officer B - August 2022 – Personal circumstances.
• Officer C – February 2023 – No longer wanted to perform Armed role.
• Officer D – February 2023 – Personal circumstances.
• Officer E – March 2023 – Returned to local Policing due to travel.

None of the above retuned to role.

3a) The number (headcount) of firearms officers who voluntarily surrendered their ticket/accreditation to carry firearms within the financial year 2023/24, but remained in service with the force

7

3b) For each instance, please list the month it was surrendered, the reason and whether the individual has since returned to holding a ticket/accreditation

• Officer A – April 2023 – Promotion posting.
• Officer B - September 2023 - No longer wanted to perform Armed role.
• Officer C – September 2023 – Personal circumstances
• Officer D – October 2023 - NX121 judgement – returned to Armed duties.
• Officer E - October 2023 – NX121 judgement – returned to Armed duties.
• Officer F – November 2023 – NX121 and personal circumstances
• Officer G – November 2023 – Promotion posting.

Unless stated above; none of the above retuned to role.

NB These numbers should include all firearms officers, whether or not they are operationally deployable.

If one firearms officer happened to volunteer their ticket more than once in a financial year, please count this as one for questions 2a and 3a, but list the circumstances separately in questions 2b and 3b.