Firearm Seizures – In the Interest of Public Safety

Firearm-related injury is an important and preventable cause of death and disability (Gomez, Saunders, Greene, Santiago, Ahmed & Baxter, 2020). Self-inflicted harm accounted for the majority (79%) of firearm-related deaths in Canada and is the highest case fatality of all methods (Gomez et al., 2020).

Firearms have been used in the commission of domestic homicides and homicide-suicides. Shootings (i.e., handgun, rifle, shotgun, or gun not specified) was a death factor in 26% of the deaths reviewed by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) now referred to as Intimate Partner Violence Committee (IPVC) between 2002-2016 (DVDRC, 2018).

The Firearm Seizures – In the Interest of Public Safety course is designed to combat Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), mental wellness and other concerns involving firearms by providing law enforcement with information on how to take immediate action to search for and seize firearms and Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licenses (PAL cards) when there is a risk to public safety.

When you have completed this course you will be able to:

• Recognize the authorities granted for the purpose of public safety seizures pursuant to Section 117.04 CC.
• Explain the importance of conducting firearms checks and seizing PAL cards in the interest of public safety.
• Identify when firearms and PAL cards could be seized based upon public safety concerns for Intimate Partner Violence, mental health, and other situations pursuant to Section 117.04 CC.
• Identify the process to be undertaken after firearms and PAL cards have been seized pursuant to Section 117.04 CC.
• Recognize the importance of generating an FIP event.