“Imitation guns can be fun to play with, but there are some real risks and consequences of playing with these kinds of ‘toys’ in public,” says EPS Const. Christopher Marshall, who helped develop the safety campaign. “There seems to be a general lack of awareness of the real danger posed by fake guns. We want the public to know that police can’t always tell if a gun is real or fake, so to avoid a potential confrontation, we ask that you don’t show imitation guns in public.”
EPS responds to numerous incidents annually where firearms are reported, but later upon close examination, the guns are revealed to be realistic imitations.
In 2014, imitation guns were involved in approximately 1,160 EPS files ranging from mischief to weapons complaints to serious crimes. In 2015, imitation guns were involved in approximately 1,598 EPS files, an increase of 438 occurrences or 38 per cent in just one year. Imitation gun files typically rise over the summer months especially in July.
Sadly, imitation guns have also been involved in numerous police shootings and close calls across North America. Of the 23 officer-involved shootings investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team in 2014 and 2015, four involved imitation guns (two deaths and two serious injuries).
Const. Chapman Lee, who was involved in two incidents within a week, cautions imitation gun owners. “Police take firearms complaints very seriously due to the threat to public and officer safety, and will respond with appropriate resources, tactics and level of force. Just this spring, we had a community college on lockdown because a young man was seen carrying a rifle with a scope nearby, which later turned out to be a pellet gun. Sometimes people make mistakes, but if it looks like a gun, it’s treated like a gun by police.”
EPS developed the ‘Fake Gun, Real Danger’ public education campaign to build awareness around imitation guns, encourage their safe use, and reduce the number of incidents requiring police response.
For the campaign, safety messages will be communicated to imitation gun owners as well as to the general public through a series of provocative multimedia materials. The materials were developed in consultation with the airsoft community, retailers, parents, the city’s school boards, and officers from the EPS and the RCMP.
“This is a good opportunity for us to partner with police to make the sport of airsoft safer,” says Ben Holliday, Instructor at Capital Airsoft Indoor Battleground. “Airsoft is a lot of fun to play and attracts a large community of players. We take the extra time to talk to our customers about the safe and responsible use of airsoft guns and these materials will help us get the message across, especially with young adults tempted to play with their guns in nearby neighbourhoods or parks.”
Imitation gun safety tips
Please use imitation guns in a safe, responsible and lawful manner:
- Never play with an imitation gun in public places such as malls, parks or schools.
- Use air gun imitations only at designated play areas, gun ranges, or on private land outside of the city.
- Do not point an imitation gun at another person, even if you are joking.
- Handle air gun imitations with care to avoid injuries, and consider taking a safety class.
- Set rules for children playing with imitation guns so they understand the dangers of misusing them.
- Keep imitation guns out of sight and locked in a case to prevent misunderstandings, accidents or theft.
- If you are carrying an imitation gun and are approached by police, put the gun down and obey their instructions.
Police warn that if you have an imitation gun in public, you can be fined, arrested, or charged under the City of Edmonton Public Places Bylaw #14614 or the Criminal Code of Canada.
If you use an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence, you face the same penalties as someone who uses a real firearm. Possession of an imitation gun can cause you to breach any court-imposed conditions. Your imitation gun can also be seized by police.
For more information on imitation gun safety, or to access multimedia materials, please visit www.edmontonpolice.ca/fakegunrealdanger.