Shotgun certificate: Can police insist on installing security alarms?

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Can police insist on installing security alarms?

The responsibility for security lies with you, not the police.

By Sporting Gun

Wednesday, 09 November 2011

My dad has a shotgun certificate and has now applied for, and been granted, a firearms certificate. One condition the police stipulate is that he installs a security alarm, yet he says this wasn’t even discussed during the home inspection.

Can the police insist on this? The reason I ask is because I’ve held coterminous certificates for many years and never been told to install an alarm; my cabinet has always been sufficient. Is this a new police procedure?

My renewal is due next year and I certainly don’t want to go to the expense of installing an alarm. I would appreciate your comments.

SHOOTING LEGAL ADVICE
David Frost
The responsibility for security lies with you, not the police. You only commit an offence if, without having taken reasonable care, you allow your guns to fall into the hands of someone not authorised to possess them.

In practice poor home security is often seen as presenting a threat to public safety and the police can refuse an application if they think this is the case.

The police should only insist on an alarm system if you have a large number of guns (twelve or more) or your house is in an area with a high crime rate or if for some other reason you have a higher than usual risk of being burgled.