Metropolitan Police trial new style certificates

[Conor O'Gorman]

The Metropolitan Police have commenced a trial of new A5-sized firearm and shotgun certificates, taking effect from 3 June 2024. The smaller certificate is already being issued by Hampshire and Isle of Wight police.

The new certificates will be identical in format and will use the same official paper, however orientated in ‘landscape’ instead of the traditional ‘portrait’, making them half the size. The move will halve the volume of paper being used for certificates, which will both save money and reduce the environmental impact of issuing new certificates.

For the duration of the trial, the Metropolitan Police’s firearms licensing team have asked BASC to seek feedback on the new certificates from shooters located in the force area. This will be will be used when considering whether to make the change permanent.

Please email your thoughts and comments to provide input into the decision-making process to BASC's South East regional team at southeast@basc.org.uk and they will collate them and pass on.

 

[Stalker62]

They do not fit my very expensive leather FAC/SGC holders.

Ask me how I know…

 

[artschool]

stop the need for multiple variations will save lots more printing

 

[SpikeD]

This is a classic example of an end to end process not being thought though. Hampshire have the A5 certificates and it now means those who enter ammunition purchases have to write in very small script or if you buy a lot of ammunition, have to request a new certificate. This causes more paper usage Co2 emissions in returning the now full certificate, the printing and then posting out a new one. This defeats the green virtue signalling. Perhaps we could follow the ROI certificates where your are authorised to be in possession of x number of rounds but these aren't entered onto your certificate when you purchase them.

 

[8x57]

Why piddle about with half measures (literally in this case), go the whole hog and introduce a paper free system.

 

[olliehopes]

They're less than ideal.

For SGC it makes sense, but not for FAC..... It's a nightmare to write ammo onto to and even harder to read what's been written! How that is even half the amount of space required for someone shooting a lot is beyond me! Luckily between variation and new ticket coming through was only a few months, so not filled up yet!

 

[NoIDeer]

How come Tesco's, Co-op... can tell you more about yourself and your purchasing habits than you know yourself from a small plastic card with a number on it when the police need a sheaf of papers specially printed on security paper. Back to the future.

 

[Apthorpe]

It is astonishing how stupid people can be. A given quantity of type and formatting will occupy the same amount of paper (or more allowing for margin), no matter what size the sheets of paper are. If they want to save paper, they could just issue a "credit" card one only at initial grant and there is no need for anything else because of the computer system. RFD's could have live access to view authorisations and update purchases and transfers. The waste is not of paper, but in having a shambolic and shoddy system.

 

[timbrayford]

The Metropolitan Police have commenced a trial of new A5-sized firearm and shotgun certificates, taking effect from 3 June 2024. The smaller certificate is already being issued by Hampshire and Isle of Wight police.

The new certificates will be identical in format and will use the same official paper, however orientated in ‘landscape’ instead of the traditional ‘portrait’, making them half the size. The move will halve the volume of paper being used for certificates, which will both save money and reduce the environmental impact of issuing new certificates.

For the duration of the trial, the Metropolitan Police’s firearms licensing team have asked BASC to seek feedback on the new certificates from shooters located in the force area. This will be will be used when considering whether to make the change permanent.

Please email your thoughts and comments to provide input into the decision-making process to BASC's South East regional team at southeast@basc.org.uk and they will collate them and pass on.

Paper FFS, bygone era or what! I've got the H&IW version, nothing wrong with it apart from the fact that it doesn't resemble a credit or debit card. 1920s technology equates to expensive and poor FLD service in all respects!

 

[Apthorpe]

Incidentally, the same police force is happy to waste hundreds of times more glossy paper advertising themselves to residents, and sitting around all day in idling vans, as though they weren't an imposed monopoly. This virtue signalling is so bogus!

 

[webley701]

Why piddle about with half measures (literally in this case), go the whole hog and introduce a paper free system.

How would that work?

 

[Mickeydredd]

that should keep the future cost of our full cost recovery certificates down......

 

[artschool]

How would that work?

same way your MOT works. all on a website

 

[Apthorpe]

How would that work?

The same way airlines work, the banking system works, hotels, nearly all trade etc etc.

Having to fiddle around with paper certificates and manual approval is medieval.

 

[webley701]

same way your MOT works. all on a website

You’ve not thought that reply through. Your paper FAC certificate is used in a far different way than an MOT certificate.

 

[webley701]

The same way airlines work, the banking system works, hotels, nearly all trade etc etc.

Having to fiddle around with paper certificates and manual approval is medieval.

Can you imagine any scenarios where an online only ‘virtual’ certificate would be a problem? If not, try harder.

 

[Jeff8861]

What a waste of time

 

[Apthorpe]

Can you imagine any scenarios where an online only ‘virtual’ certificate would be a problem? If not, try harder.

Not really. On the whole, it would work much better with far fewer problems, better accuracy and better public safety.

What do you think would be wrong with it?

 

[Donkey Basher]

Got the A5 version thanks to H&IoW - hate it!

 

[8x57]

How would that work?

A driving license sized card listing classes and numbers of firearms permitted to possess.
Access to all relevant records to be done electronically, with differing levels of authorised access, and authority to amend records as and when necessary. As my young granddaughter reminded me earlier this afternoon -"It is 2024" when discussing the difference in school classrooms and why they have smart white boards and not black boards.