Fewer gun licenses being issued

Police have been issuing fewer gun licenses in recent years and many are being revoked. In 2013 75,000 licenses were issued; this figure includes new licenses and extensions of sports and game firearm owners. It has dropped by 2,000 over 2011. Police say many applications are being denied -109 in 2013, 75 in 2011- and even more are being withdrawn -230 in 2013, 346 in 2012 and 226 in 2011. The declining gun license figures are linked to a more restrictive policy that police have been executing. There is tougher screening of applicants, on specific characteristics like previous criminal behavior, aggression and extreme radical expressions. Police are also using a nationwide system now, that can be linked with other systems to see whether an application is already mentioned anywhere else. According to authorities there were some 212,000 gun licenses issued as per 2013, as opposed to 215,000 in 2012.