variation in variation times across forces: collecting data

Mungo

Well-Known Member
Those of us who have to deal with the Police Scotland firearms section in Edinburgh will know that they have recently experienced a large reduction in staff numbers, and the processing of even very simple 1-for-1 variations has become agonisingly slow and error prone.

It has been hinted that a degree of pressure further up the chain might help alleviate this, so I am thinking of writing a formal complaint. To do this, I would like to be able to present a comparison with variation times at other forces, both in Scotland and beyond.

I would be very grateful if anyone who has had a variation processed in the last year could let me know the following:

1. Force.
2. What the variation was (1-for-1 or change in allowance).
3. Time taken.

Many thanks.
 
Surrey one for one. Posted to them Monday and returned in post on Saturday (same week!)

Andy
 
Wiltshire

Change ticket from 'closed' to 'open'
Emailed Friday evening with request, reply received first thing Monday morning. Delivered by hand Monday afternoon, received in post Thursday morning same week.

1-4-1 from .22 to 6.5
Spoke to them on phone Tuesday morning, appointment made for 10am next day, Out of the door with variation 15 mins later.
 
Grampian

Variation to acquire 22-250 - ten days.

FAC sent in today for another addition.

Past service has been excellent.




Steve
 
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Mungo
As well as a drastic reduction in staff since the move to Police Scotland, I believe that Legacy Lothian and Borders force have just gone live with a new computer firearm licensing system( not new to some of the other legacy Scottish forces) which is compounding the delays. I imagine that variations will be taking a bit of a back seat over renewals just now. Just wait till air gun licensing is added to that workload with no more staff!!
 
West Yorkshire variation for new calibre. 5-6 weeks. Not overly fussed to be honest as I got what I asked for and that's all that mattered.
 
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Lothian & Borders. Handed in to Fettes to have target shooting added; returned in under 2 weeks (about 5 weeks ago).
 
Aberdeenshire, additional calibre, submitted three weeks ago, told ETA November sometime.
Also request for moderator, submitted Monday (different licence holder).
Will update on arrival.
 
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Fettes renewal. 12 weeks. Came back with incorrect ammunition allowance.
Returned and waited another 3 weeks.
 
Lancashire Constabulary - 1 for 1 (Swap .22LR Bolt Action and Moderator slot for .270 and moderator slot) - Had my certificate back and done correctly within 5 days of sending it off!
Top marks to Lancashire - Always quick, efficient and helpfull!
 
Staffordshire, previous additional calibre was 4 days, this one, has been approved after a visit and is in the post (fairly complex sharing conditions on some large calibres and a couple of new slots) still less than 2 weeks.

Top marks.
 
July 2014

1. Force. North Yorkshire
2. The variation . To add a moderator
3. Time taken. 7 days

I have also posted another variation off to North Yorkshire on Wednesday 29th Oct.
This is to add a rifle of different calibre.

I let you know how long it takes.
 
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Hi there

I certainly have some sympathy with the issue here but I can't help but feel that if you're trying to evidence a formal complaint of lack of service by getting incomplete and largely uncorroborated data then I don't think that you'll achieve that much. May I suggest that you issue a freedom of information request to each of the divisions of Police Scotland and use that as the basis for any comparative complaint.

This type of FoI request is virtually impossible to wriggle away from and should provide benchmark data that will probably considerably aid your compliant. If the response is 'we don't know' then that's a pretty good position as well.

I would be, and I suspect so would many on here, be interested in anything you turn up. In addition, you may wish to contact BASC and see if they have done this already....which one hopes they would have.

Hope that helps

FN
 
I certainly have some sympathy with the issue here but I can't help but feel that if you're trying to evidence a formal complaint of lack of service by getting incomplete and largely uncorroborated data then I don't think that you'll achieve that much. May I suggest that you issue a freedom of information request to each of the divisions of Police Scotland and use that as the basis for any comparative complaint.

This type of FoI request is virtually impossible to wriggle away from and should provide benchmark data that will probably considerably aid your compliant. If the response is 'we don't know' then that's a pretty good position as well.

I would be, and I suspect so would many on here, be interested in anything you turn up. In addition, you may wish to contact BASC and see if they have done this already....which one hopes they would have.

This is just the first step to give me an idea of the existing variation - the pilot study, if you will. FOI requests are very much the obvious next thing to do.

I will certainly provide a summary of what I find. It is already making interesting reading!

Please do keep contributing, folks.
 
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