Chief constable Michael Todd said teenagers involved in gun gangs aresimilar to those involved in child labour - scared and vulnerable - andshould be put on the child protection register. His comments drew sharpcriticism from some victim support groups who have said childrencarrying guns are hardened criminals.
Chris Stanley, head of policy and research at crime reduction charityNacro, backed Todd, praising him for speaking out. "It's encouragingthat a chief constable, who is really immersed in the problem of guncrime, is prepared to say what he thinks. He will be unpopular in somecircles but he is right," he said. "A 13-year-old carrying a gun isclearly someone who thinks their own safety is in danger. If a13-year-old was working in a factory next to unsafe machinery, theywould be protected. Why can we not do the same for someone carrying agun?"
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
