London (Parliament News) – Survivors of gun violence collaborate with police to implement Project Titanium, a pioneering initiative aimed at preventing violent partners from owning firearms.
Survivors of gun crimes perpetrated by violent and coercive partners have functioned with police to make a groundbreaking scheme developed to stop more dangerous criminals from being allowed licensed firearms.
How Did Survivors Launch Project Titanium Initiative?
According to the Guardian, the women have assisted police frame a questionnaire that firearms officers will place on the partners of people desiring a licence, which it is expected will flag up issues such as a tendency to violence or mental health issues. Five English and Welsh forces have utilised the scheme, called Project Titanium, and licences have already been denied or revoked.
What’s the Purpose Behind Project Titanium Scheme?
The scheme, undertaken by Gwent police in south Wales and so far trialled by the Met, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces, has been encouraged and reported by the survivors Rhianon Bragg and Rachel Williams.
Bragg was hunted and held hostage at gunpoint for eight hours overnight by her ex-partner Gareth Wyn Jones after she terminated their relationship. She had repeatedly pointed to police in north Wales he was threatening her and her four children and his authorised firearms were seized but no further effort was taken and his weapons were returned.
Rachel Williams mourned serious leg injuries when she was blasted with a shotgun by her ex-partner Darren Williams after he exploded into the hair salon in south Wales where she worked. Like Bragg, she has evolved into a vocal campaigner on gun control.
Are Violent Partners Being Prevented from Firearms?
A complaint of the gun licensing system in England and Wales has been that the plights of partners have often not been attended to, even though they may be best put to highlight any dangers.
How Effective is Project Titanium in Practice?”
Under Project Titanium, partners are asked 30 queries, including: “Would your partner ever get professional help if they had any mental health issues?”, “Would your partner ever hurt an animal?”, “Has your partner ever threatened to use, or has used a weapon on you?”
More than 5,000 firearms and shotgun licence assignments and renewals have been completed utilising the Project Titanium questionnaire since trials started in May 2023. Seven licences have been cancelled or refused and more forces across England and Wales are examining to adopt it.
Bragg stated: “It’s incredible to be able to take the horrible experience I had at the hands of a licensed gun holder and to transform it into something which potentially goes on to save the lives of others and to support removing weapons from people who shouldn’t hold them. To think that I might have been able to even help one individual by doing this, that’s such a positive, such a light in a horrifically unclear situation. “Developing Project Titanium has allowed me to regain some of the confidence that I had lost through coercive control. I feel more like myself, more capable than I have for years.
The concept for Project Titanium came out of a discussion between Rachel Williams and a Gwent police firearms licensing officer who asked her what was required to be done to keep more people secure. Williams was surprised when she realised there was no questionnaire routinely sent to spouses of people who wanted guns. “There was nobody in a place like this before,” Williams stated. “This is going to save lives.”
Are Police Forces Embracing Project Titanium Initiative?
The National Police Chiefs’ Council stated: “Since last year, several forces have trialled the intro of more detailed inquiry as part of the licensing process to proactively determine additional concerns around an applicant which would prevent a firearms licence being given. The results of these trials are now being evaluated, however, the feedback received so far has been positive.”