RSPCA Employees that hold Firearms

Reference number: 
20090630
Request date: 
12/2009
Response date: 
11/12/2009 (All day)
Request details: 

"I believe that, although they are ordinary members of the public, every RSPCA inspector is licensed to carry firearms.  I would like to request the following under freedom of information. 

1. How many RSPCA inspectors hold firearms licences? 

2. Are there any other RSPCA employees in your area other than inspectors that hold firearms licences?

3a. Can you name these individuals that hold licences? If you are unwilling to provide the data, then 

3b. would you say in what capacity the  people who work for this private charity who you enumerate have a  firearms certificate? 

4a. What "ranks" within the RSPCA do these people possess and 

4b  how long  has each person worked for the charity? 

4c When was each of the people granted their licence to carry such weapons? 

5. What type and calibre of firearms are carried by each RSPCA employee? 

6. Which RSPCA employees carry captive bolt guns and how many of them carry them? 

7. What reasons were given by the RSPCA employees for requiring the firearm(s) 

8. Where do RSPCA employees indicate that they will use the firearms? 

9. If you state that the "Inspectors possess the firearms referred tofor the humane despatch of animals" - do you mean in all circumstances where an animal might require euthanasia, or only where the opinion and expertise of a veterinary surgeon in "despatching" an animal cannot be obtained?

 10. Do they have an 'open certificate'"

SYP response: 

REQUEST No (AS ABOVE)

SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE RESPONSE

1

Records held by South Yorkshire Police show that 3 members of the RSPCA have been granted a firearms licence for the humane killing of animals in connection with their duties.

 

2

South Yorkshire Police does not hold this information

 

3a

Your request for information has now been considered and I am not able to supply the information you have requested.

 

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires South Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:  

 

  • (a) states that fact,
  • (b) specifies the exemption in question and

states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

 

By virtue of Section 2(3) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 the exemption applicable to the information is "absolute" in that it falls under section 40(2)(Personal Information). The release of this information would be in breach of Principles 1 and 2 of the Data Protection Act.

 

3b

South Yorkshire Police records show that all three are employed by the RSPCA as ‘Inspectors'.

 

4a

South Yorkshire Police records show that all three are employed by the RSPCA as ‘Inspectors'.

 

4b

South Yorkshire Police does not hold this information

 

4c

South Yorkshire Police records show that the above-mentioned firearms certificates were issued in; February 1997, July 1998 and October 2008.

 

5

The three certificates as mentioned above relate to the possession of a .32 calibre, single shot pistol.

 

6

South Yorkshire Police does not hold this information. Captive bolt slaughtering instruments are not subject to licensing requirements under the Firearms Acts 1968 & 1997 (as amended)

 

7

The humane killing of animals

 

8

South Yorkshire Police does not hold any information as to the intended geographic areas of use of the licensed firearms

 

9

South Yorkshire Police does not hold any information as to the policies and procedures adopted by the RSPCA.

10

The granted certificates do not cover shooting over open ground at distances