Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman today launched Phase Two of the National Firearms Amnesty to keep Canberra’s streets safe from gun crime.
The amnesty now encourages Canberrans to report information to Crime Stoppers when they believe an individual has an illegal or unregistered firearm.
This will ensure as many illicit firearms as possible are removed from the community.
“Keeping Canberra safe is our number one priority and people can assist by helping police to ensure that unregistered and unlawful firearms don’t fall into the wrong hands,” Minister Gentleman said.
“We know there are people in our community who have this information. I urge them to come forward and provide it.”
ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan said that Canberrans can make a call or report online any information they have to Crime Stoppers.
“Crime Stoppers provides an invaluable national information service for all law enforcement jurisdictions. In this case anyone with information about illicit firearms can call 1800 333 000 or visit the Crime Stoppers website to provide information,” said Deputy Commissioner Gaughan.
“Importantly, information can be provided anonymously. Only last month we were able to conduct a search warrant on a vehicle as a result of information from the community. We discovered an illegally modified firearm and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. This is the type of outcome we can achieve with community information.”
The National Firearms Amnesty was launched in July 2021. It allows individuals who have unregistered firearms or firearm-related items to surrender them to a police station without penalty.
To date more than 500 firearms and associated items have been handed to police.
The Territory’s National Firearm Amnesty surrender location is the ACT Policing Firearms Registry at the Exhibition Management Centre, 86 Vicars Street, Mitchell.
