The Christchurch mass murderer had a firearms license.
Based on the information available to us at this time, we have found that correct process was followed by staff involved in the firearms licence application.
The accused filed an application for a firearms licence in September 2017 in Dunedin.The vetting process was undertaken by a Police Firearms Vetting Officer in Dunedin, where the accused resided.
The accused initially listed a family member as one of his referees but that person did not reside in New Zealand.
Policy states that a referee must be a resident of New Zealand, therefore new referees were requested.
The accused provided two further referees who met the requirements of the process and were interviewed face to face by a Police Firearms Vetting Officer.
One of the steps to gaining a firearms licence is a home visit to meet the applicant in person and inspect the security of their property.
In October 2017 the accused was interviewed at his home address in Dunedin.A security inspection took place at the same time.
I am reminded of the Dunblane mass murder, where the killer had a pistol license even though he was not in compliance with British law and the police had received complaints that he had an unhealthy interest in little boys.
Mohammed Atta's visa was renewed 6 months after 9/11.
ReplyDeleteHow reassuring.
I am reminded of Theodore Dalrymple's essay,
"The Uses of Corruption.
Where administration is light and bureaucracy small, bureaucratic honesty is an incomparable virtue; but where these are heavy and large, as in all modern European states, Britain and Italy not least among them, they burden and obstruct the inventive and energetic. Where bureaucrats are honest, no one can cut through their Laocoönian coils: their procedures, no matter how onerous, antiquated, or bloody-minded, must be endured patiently. Such bureaucrats can
neither be hurried in their deliberations nor made to see common sense. Indeed, the very absurdity or pedantry of these deliberations is for them the guarantee of their own fair-mindedness, impartiality, and disinterest. To treat all people with equal contempt and indifference is the bureaucrat’s idea of equity.