WEBVTT 00:00:00.118 --> 00:00:02.634 The unit I work for is a department called CO19. 00:00:02.841 --> 00:00:06.428 We respond to 999 calls of firearm related issues. 00:00:06.971 --> 00:00:07.936 Some knife crime. 00:00:18.499 --> 00:00:22.337 People that wouldn't have thought of carrying weapons, or who weren't gang members, 00:00:22.576 --> 00:00:24.952 six to eight months ago are now thinking, 00:00:25.191 --> 00:00:27.487 "Oh, I'll get myself affiliated for the gang for safety 00:00:27.527 --> 00:00:29.627 or I'll start carrying for my own safety.' 00:00:29.829 --> 00:00:32.852 and then one wrong decision, one foul move later, 00:00:32.869 --> 00:00:35.233 their whole life as well as someone else's, is ruined. 00:00:35.247 --> 00:00:40.116 Some areas of London, some cultures will carry knives as part of their gangs. 00:00:40.235 --> 00:00:43.888 Some other parts of London it'll be part of the culture to carry a gun. 00:00:44.008 --> 00:00:46.585 Let's be honest, they're both as dangerous 00:00:46.665 --> 00:00:48.609 and they're gonna end as many lives as each other. 00:00:48.693 --> 00:00:51.822 Are they easily available? Unfortunately, yes they are. 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:55.500 You can buy imitation firearms which can lead to one thing. 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:58.981 If you produce an imitation firearm to someone, they may feel threatened, 00:00:59.015 --> 00:01:01.929 they may have a knife, before you know it, they're stabbing you. 00:01:02.075 --> 00:01:07.426 There's a selection of guns on the table, most are toys or deactivated weapons. 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:10.707 If you look at the front three, they're pretty much identical weapons. 00:01:10.755 --> 00:01:13.464 The two either side are actually fake toys, 00:01:13.610 --> 00:01:17.354 BB guns, commonly known on the street that fire little yellow pellets, 00:01:17.627 --> 00:01:21.573 and the one in the middle is actually a deactivated Glock weapon. 00:01:21.700 --> 00:01:26.117 The two on the end get the same reaction from most members of the public, 00:01:26.261 --> 00:01:29.154 and from firearms officers, as if you pointed the middle one. 00:01:29.314 --> 00:01:33.039 So, I ask that you don't make us make that decision, if it's real or fake. 00:01:33.102 --> 00:01:37.645 For me personally, I just get on with the job, it's not 'til you've done a job sometimes, 00:01:37.810 --> 00:01:40.262 you've packed up and you're back at the police station, 00:01:40.357 --> 00:01:42.159 writing your notes and having a cup of tea, 00:01:42.225 --> 00:01:44.285 that you realise what you've just been through. 00:01:44.379 --> 00:01:46.409 I'm not ashamed to say a couple of times I've been home 00:01:46.584 --> 00:01:52.618 I've been to a scene of a young 13 year old that was shot, 00:01:52.849 --> 00:01:55.134 and I was the first firearms officer there in his house. 00:01:55.157 --> 00:01:58.967 He died whilst the ambulance crew were working on him. 00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:02.580 To see his dad told that his 13 year old son was dead, 00:02:02.897 --> 00:02:05.099 you just see another life shattered. 00:02:05.163 --> 00:02:06.437 Those are the down days 00:02:06.603 --> 00:02:11.795 Then there's good days when you get, that boy who's died and you go get his murderer. 00:02:12.237 --> 00:02:15.152 Then you kind of get some reward for the job you're doing. 00:02:15.279 --> 00:02:18.209 Some young people are prepared to listen to what you've got to say. 00:02:18.368 --> 00:02:22.357 Some young people are too far into the realms of gang culture, 00:02:22.469 --> 00:02:24.461 where they don't want to listen to authority, 00:02:24.503 --> 00:02:27.106 be it a police office, be it a teacher, be it their parents. 00:02:27.329 --> 00:02:32.262 The Government are trying their hardest to get the message across to young people. 00:02:32.432 --> 00:02:36.098 I've been party to several open days and visits to schools. 00:02:36.162 --> 00:02:38.066 The prison service are entering schools 00:02:38.074 --> 00:02:40.660 and showing young people the life of a prisoner. 00:02:40.723 --> 00:02:45.286 They also receive talks from London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service, 00:02:45.429 --> 00:02:48.402 as well as the likes of myself, other police officers, 00:02:48.561 --> 00:02:52.077 just telling them all about the consequence of their actions. 00:02:52.189 --> 00:02:54.461 If you're stopped by the police in any circumstance, 00:02:54.572 --> 00:02:56.837 be it armed police, be it local borough police, 00:02:57.139 --> 00:02:59.483 then if you've done nothing wrong, got nothing to hide, 00:03:00.420 --> 00:03:04.058 do exactly as you're told and don't do anything that could give police officers 00:03:04.185 --> 00:03:07.344 a reason to think you've done something wrong i.e. running off, 00:03:07.534 --> 00:03:10.190 because people only generally run off if they've done something wrong 00:03:10.225 --> 00:03:12.188 or got something on them they don't want to be found. 00:03:12.379 --> 00:03:16.319 If you suspect that someone is carrying a weapon 00:03:16.495 --> 00:03:20.201 it can probably seem quite intimidating, but there are people who can help you, 00:03:20.281 --> 00:03:23.155 there's anonymous Crimestoppers line, 00:03:23.281 --> 00:03:24.904 you can speak to teachers in confidence, 00:03:24.944 --> 00:03:27.474 you can speak to police officers in confidence, 00:03:27.512 --> 00:03:30.428 even your parents. They will listen and do something. 00:03:30.489 --> 00:03:34.771 There are protection measures out there to stop people knowing who is giving information. 00:03:34.985 --> 00:03:39.731 The decision they make now, by telling an adult of any description, 00:03:40.065 --> 00:03:43.539 could save countless lives being ruined.