Police Quotes
“We’ve seen a fairly significant decline in the number of firearms seized by my firearms unit this year because the information that they once relied on isn’t available to them. If someone was prohibited from possessing firearms and they had firearms registered to them, we would go and get them. Now we have no idea.” – Chief William Blair, Toronto Police Service
“Registration of firearms allows police to verify numbers and types of firearms subject to seizure. There are common misconceptions that criminals don’t register their firearms and that firearms destined for criminal activity would not appear in the registry. In actuality, many firearms recovered by police at crime scenes turn out to be registered and the CFP has assisted in solving a number of crimes by tracing a firearm to a registered owner. In 2009, of the 4,000-plus crime-related firearms traced to an owner by the Canadian firearms program, approximately 1,600 were registered non-restricted firearms, 1,100 were prohibited, and 881 were restricted. Registration of firearms also provides an accountability mechanism linking responsibility for a firearm to an individual. It encourages owners to safely store firearms, to report lost or stolen firearms, and it discourages illegal sales and transfers of firearms.” – Chief Superintendent Marty Cheliak (Director General, Canadian Firearms Program, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, May 2010
“…we should not be diverted, here, from the most important point. This is about public safety. The registry has made Canada a safer country. The registry has saved lives. We lose it at our peril.” – Chief William Blair, as President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, November 2009
“From our association’s perspective, the current system’s benefits include: increased officer safety through more detailed awareness of the existence, quantity, and type of firearms at specified locations; preventative awareness of potential access to firearms involving persons with mental health issues; dramatically improved ability to enforce court-ordered prohibitions to firearms possession made through bail, sentencing, firearm prohibitions, licence revocations, or preventative orders. The alternative seems to be to ask the offender or any other intimidated third party what guns they have. Other benefits include the enhanced ability to detect and return stolen firearms; the enhanced ability to investigate and prosecute crimes involving stolen firearms, which saves resources; the identification of an accumulation of firearms that could potentially harm public safety; the enhanced ability to investigate crimes through links established by the registry; the reduced ability to traffic stolen firearms and reduced illicit export or import of firearms; the reinforcement of the inherent public safety interest; and the responsibility inherent in firearm acquisition and possession.” – Carol Allison-Burra, Director, Canadian Association of Police Boards, May 2010
“This is not a regional issue. It is not an issue between big cities and small towns. It is not about hunters and sportsmen, collectors and enthusiasts. It is not about politics. It is about public safety. It is about giving police the information to deal with the danger posed by a firearm in the wrong hands. It is about responsible gun ownership.” – Chief William Blair, as President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, May 2009
“During the house and Senate committee meetings relating to Bill C-19 and through a letter to the minister, the CACP urged the government to ensure that records of sales by firearms vendors be maintained, as has been the case since 1977. Why? Very simply, firearm vendor ledgers provide at least one method through which law enforcement can investigate a long-gun used in a criminal act — I repeat, in a criminal act. It is not a searchable, centralized database. It has no cost to Canadians. It does not criminalize law-abiding citizens, and it places no burden upon them. Why would we remove such a practice and how can we justify it from a public safety perspective?… Law enforcement has attempted to enter into respectful dialogue with the government on this issue, but we have not once been consulted. Opponents of the long-gun registry — the hard-working, law-abiding citizens — to our knowledge, have never requested this action. Other than the pro-gun lobby, who stated that “the so-called gun control laws simply make the bad guys laugh all the way to the next crime scene, ” who is really making this an issue?… We have to ask the question: How does this regulation possibly serve the interests of public safety? Since we are not part of the consultation process, we have to ask, what can we expect next?” – Mario Harel, Vice-President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, June 2012
“With regards to our desire to maintain the long-gun registry, police leaders from across this country, federal, provincial and municipal, have shown unprecedented support…. When it comes to the issue of (eliminating) the Long Gun Registry, almost unbelievably, there has been no consultation with law enforcement.” – Matt Torigian, President, Ontario Association of Police Chief, November 2011
“All firearms are potentially lethal and existing firearm laws are a necessary part of an integrated strategy to address violence. Canada is internationally renowned for its effective control of firearms. The firearms registry is an important component of our strategy to prevent misuse of firearms. We support the licensing of firearms owners as well as the registration of all firearms. The registry provides police with critical information about who owns firearms and the firearms they own, thereby preventing dangerous people and criminals from possessing firearms. “ – Joint Statement on Firearms from the Canadian Association of Police Boards (CAPB), the Canadian Police Association (CPA), and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), May 2010