SSAA NSW

39 ISSUE 60 DECEMBER 2020 In July 2020, an Illawarra-based firearms dealer was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for his involvement in the illegal supply of almost 300 handguns to the black market over a six-year period. This individual is one of several firearms dealers to have come under intensive scrutiny over the past two years, following the establishment of two strike forces – Strike Forces Myosoti and Discombe – which focus on compliance and enforcement at the Firearms Registry. Despite strict gun control in NSW, there is more work to be done to reduce opportunities for firearm trafficking to occur, especially when firearm movements happen across states and territories because of systems and legislation. The Firearms Registry and other commands within the NSW Police Force are working to close the system loophole through an online portal for dealers to record transactions and have these transactions validated against holdings. Assistant Commissioner Scott Cook is the Commander of the Police Prosecutions and Licensing Enforcement Command, under which the Firearms Registry now sits. He said the digital platform will see firearm movements being acquitted by receiving dealers and monitored by the Firearms Registry. "The real time functionality and built-in checks and balances will significantly minimise opportunities for inadvertent errors and, at the criminal end of the spectrum, intentional diversion," Assistant Commissioner Cook confirmed. "The NSW Police Force Firearms Dealers portal, which launched in August, is all about eradicating firearm-related crime and ensuring responsible firearm ownership. But more than that, the build and deployment are making things simpler and more transparent for dealers to transact. "Since launching, the NSW Police Force has been travelling throughout NSW to showcase the system and providing training for dealers and their employees. I am pleased to say that the take up has been exceptional and now over 200 dealers are onboarded. This system helps dealers, customers and us by decreasing our use of outdated paper-based systems," Assistant Commissioner Cook said. Contact Firearms Registry Customer Service Line on 1300 362 562 (9:00am - 4:00pm Monday to Friday) Despite strict gun control in NSW, there is more work to be done to reduce opportunities for firearm trafficking to occur.

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