SHOTGUN owners may no longer have home visits by officers when they renew their licenses in a cost-cutting drive.
As reported in the Welwyn Hatfield Times on January 26 a merger between Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire forces will see firearms licensing come under the charge of one collaboratorive body at the start of next month.
As part of the merger blanket home visits will be withdrawn and replaced with a risk-assessed process.
A police spokesman said: “Enhanced intelligence checks will identify those who should receive a home visit, without waiting for the expiry of their current licence.”
Police also point to figures which show that across a sample of representative forces only 0.2 per cent of licence holders had their licence revoked for any reason.
The spokesman added: “At a time of significant reductions in police funding it is important that we review those areas where processes can be refined and savings made without impacting on public safety.”
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