THE State’s most dangerous and notorious criminals are staring down the barrel of strict gun bans, with the WA Police Force drawing up plans for radical new powers to keep firearms out of their hands.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts said she had approved police working on a submission about the possible introduction of firearm prohibition orders in WA.

In its final report to the State Government in late 2016 reviewing the Firearms Act, the Law Reform Commission of WA recommended the orders were given the green light here.

They are in force in other States including NSW, Victoria and South Australia, to help curb gun-related crime.

They target notorious and hardened criminals, including organised crime figures, bikies, street gang members, terror suspects and serious violent offenders. They can even be slapped on people without criminal records if police suspect they have links to criminal networks.

Under the far-reaching orders, the Police Commissioner would be given the power to ban a person “reasonably suspected” of posing a community threat from holding a firearm licence or living where guns are stored.

Police would also have the power to search a banned person, their car, home and even their business without a warrant if officers suspected they were carrying a firearm. Under Victoria’s recently introduced orders, a banned person faces 10 years in jail if found with firearms or ammunition.

Mrs Roberts this week said the McGowan Government supported “giving police the tools they need to disrupt the activities of organised crime gangs and serious crime figures”.

“I have asked police to further examine the use of firearm prohibition orders and their effectiveness in other police jurisdictions and provide a submission for Government to consider,” she said.

The Law Reform Commission in its report called on the WA Government to follow the NSW model, to have bans last five years and for searches and raids without warrants to only be conducted when police have a “reasonable” belief that there is an immediate threat.

The Victorian bans, introduced earlier this year, can even be imposed on people as young as 14 and last up to five years for juveniles and a decade for adults.

A WA Police spokeswoman said the force was “continuing to progress the submission to the minister”.

“It is a complex submission, and one which involves evaluating similar legislation in other States and subsequent implications,” she said.

“The WA Police Force supports these changes to legislation.”