Items seized as weapons by the police

Summary

The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request for data on weapons seized since 2013, providing a breakdown of recorded crimes and specific weapon types by year. The authority disclosed that a total of 95 weapons were seized across the period, with knives and blades being the most common category.

Key Facts

• The request covered weapon seizures from 2013 through September 2018.
• Crime reports were used as the primary source to collate the number and type of weapons seized.
• Knives and blades accounted for the highest number of seizures, totaling 58 items over the period.
• Blunt instruments were the second most common category with 29 items seized.
• Firearms, including imitations and stun guns, totaled 8 items seized.

Data Disclosed

• 2013
• 2014
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018 to end Sep
• 6
• 15
• 11
• 10
• 19
• 1
• 3
• 0
• 8
• 16
• 14
• 20
• 5
• 6
• 9
• 13
• 18
• 12
• 27
• 95
• 58
• 29
• 8
• 620765
• 2018-10-02
• 2018-10-09

Original Request

I am writing to you to request the following information. How many items have been seized as weapons by the police since 2013 broken down by year? What types of weapon were seized broken down by category? Clarified to include weapons which means any item made intended or adapted to be used as a weapon, including firearms as defined under the relevant legislation and regulated weapons.

Data Tables (4)

Full Response Text

Isle of Man Constabulary Freedom of Information Department of Home Affairs Headquarters Tromode Road, Douglas Isle of Man, IM2 5PA Tel: +44(0)1624631394 Email: Mark.Britton@gov.im Our ref: 620765 9 October 2018

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 2 October 2018 and which states:

"I am writing to you to request the following information. How many items have been seized as weapons by the police since 2013 broken down by year? What types of weapon were seized broken down by category? Clarified to include weapons which means any item made intended or adapted to be used as a weapon, including firearms as defined under the relevant legislation and regulated weapons."

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you. Request the following information in regards to seizures of weapons; • How many items have been seized as weapons by the police since 2013, broken down by year? • What types of weapon were seized, broken down by category? For this request, the term ‘weapon’ is meant any item made, intended or adapted to be used as a weapon, including firearms as defined under the relevant legislation, and regulated weapons. Results

Crime reports relating to weapons were determined as the best source to collate number and type of weapons seized. The following table summarizes how many crime reports were recorded in each year for the relevant offences: Recorded crimes 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 to end Sep POSSESSION OF OFFENSIVE WEAPON - PUBLIC PLACE 6 15 11 10 10 19 POSSESSION OF PROHIBITED WEAPON 1 1 3 0 1 0 POSSESSION OF IMITATION FIREARM 0 0 0 0 0 1 POSSESSION OF PART 1 FIREARM WITHOUT CERT. 1 0 0 0 0 0 Grand Total 8 16 14 10 11 20 Each report was reviewed and detail extracted regarding types and numbers of weapons involved. A few crimes reported more than one weapon seized. Please see table on next page for breakdown. Weapons seized 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 to end Sep Knives/blades 5 6 15 9 10 13 Blunt instruments 3 9 0 3 3 11 Firearms (including imitation) 1 1 3 0 0 3 Total 9 16 18 12 13 27 Weapons seized 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 to end

Sep Knives/blades 5 6 15 9 10 13 Axe 1 0 0 0 1 1 Bayonet 0 0 1 0 0 0 Blade 1 0 0 0 0 1 Butterfly Knife 0 1 0 3 0 0 Kitchen Knife 0 0 6 1 1 3 Knife 2 3 3 3 2 5 Lock knife 1 1 1 1 3 1 Machete 0 0 0 0 1 0 Saw Blade 0 1 0 0 0 0 Screwdriver 0 0 0 0 0 1 Sharpened toothbrush 0 0 0 0 1 0 Stanley Knife 0 0 0 1 1 1 Steak Knife 0 0 4 0 0 0 Blunt instruments 3 9 0 3 3 11 Baseball Bat 0 1 0 0 1 0 Baton 0 2 0 1 0 0 Crowbar 0 0 0 0 0 1 Hammer 1 0 0 1 0 2 Knuckleduster 0 2 0 0 0 3 Metal Bar 0 2 0 0 0 0 Metal Bat 0 1 0 0 1 0 Pool Cue 0 0 0 1 0 1 Sledgehammer 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wooden Bat 0 0 0 0 0 3 Wooden Stick 2 1 0 0 1 0 Firearms (including imitation) 1 1 3 0 0 3 Firearm 1 1 1 0 0 0 Imitation Firearm 0 0 0 0 0 3 Stun Gun 0 0 2 0 0 0

Please quote the reference number 620765 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely