Police spot checks Lancashire

Dougie-uk

Well-Known Member
Hi guys Just had a unannounced spot check on gun cabinate security by the Lancashire police on Wednesday.
I know of five other guys from local clubs, one comes under GMP, the other four and myself come under Lancashire, who have also had these spot checks in the last couple of weeks.
Has anyone else had these checks in recent weeks?
 
You would have thought with a backlog of over 6 months for certificates that they could have spent their time more effectively!!
 
How stupid. Six month back log on new applicants and that's with renewals and variations given priority. Such a ******** system. I recently sent the email I received from Lanca***** police top brass to Basc who are investigating the flawed process.

Out of interest if you are not in and cohabit with someone else are they entitled to tell them to do one?
 
They can tell them you're not at home and to call back when you're available. The ticket holder is the only person allowed to have access to the weapons.
 
Yes I have no problem with them checking my security, I have nothing to hide.

How would you feel if they knocked on your door and asked to search you for illicit drugs, just as a routine check? This 'nothing to hide' business is the road to a police state. The only response to 'routine check' should be "It's not convenient right now. please call and make an appointment." This nonsense is nothing more than state sponsored bullying. It amounts to an illegal search and an abuse of authority.
 
How would you feel if they knocked on your door and asked to search you for illicit drugs, just as a routine check? This 'nothing to hide' business is the road to a police state. The only response to 'routine check' should be "It's not convenient right now. please call and make an appointment." This nonsense is nothing more than state sponsored bullying. It amounts to an illegal search and an abuse of authority.
If it keeps our country safe then what have we got to complain about? They're welcome to check my security any time! No idea why it could be classed as bullying?
 
I am always stunned by these threads how so many people are willing to give up their basic freedoms.

Wolfie
 
They can tell them you're not at home and to call back when you're available. The ticket holder is the only person allowed to have access to the weapons.

Well obviously regarding access but I meant can they demand to see the cabinet? After all you could be out shooting and have all your guns with you.

Im so annoyed by this it's literally making my blood boil. I'm 5 month in waiting for even my damn visit grrrrr yet they are off checking cabinets which lets be blunt they have already inspected once before. No doubt it's some form of box ticking ********.
 
I am always stunned by these threads how so many people are willing to give up their basic freedoms.

Wolfie

In all fairness I used to be quite PC and ok with it but now as I get older and less likely to take ahit it would really annoy me turning up unannounced. But I am also a realist and there's no point doing spot checks if you warn people.
 
If it keeps our country safe then what have we got to complain about? They're welcome to check my security any time! No idea why it could be classed as bullying?
So if they turned up and said we just want to check your kids that you are not abusing them in any way you would be ok with that.After all it is keeping them safe
 
If it keeps our country safe then what have we got to complain about? They're welcome to check my security any time! No idea why it could be classed as bullying?

OK. A huge problem in our country is illicit drugs. To keep us safe from this horror it would be a useful tool if the police could make random checks in people's homes to see if they are hiding drugs, using drugs, growing drugs, or have large amounts of cash for which they cannot account. Would you be happy with a change in the law that allowed the police to force entry into your home on a random search, to search your children's rooms, your rooms, that bedside cabinet where your 'accoutrements' are kept. You? It would perhaps keep our country safe.

Another good way would be to fingerprint, photograph and DNA very person in the country. Perhaps the police should be able to perform random searches on anyone in a public place?

Bullying? Yes. The cooperation is based upon fear. This is how the police seek to control firearms owners, by fear of what they may be able to do to you if you do not comply with their arbitrary and often completely wrong demands.

No idea indeed.
 
In all fairness I used to be quite PC and ok with it but now as I get older and less likely to take ahit it would really annoy me turning up unannounced. But I am also a realist and there's no point doing spot checks if you warn people.

If they have a good reason to suspect that the law is not being complied with then their 'spot check' should be conducted with a search warrant in hand. If they have no reason to suspect this then they have no reason to perform a spot check.
 
If it keeps our country safe then what have we got to complain about?

I'd be interested to see the evidence that this latest spot-check initiative makes us all safer. IIRC it's based on a recent spurious suggestion that 'terrorists' (unknown, unidentified, unquantified and unspecified) 'may' attempt to obtain weapons from licensed firearms holders. The checks are intended to ensure that we are all securing our firearms and shotguns as required by the conditions on our certificates. Unfortunately, the cosy security narrative unravels when you reflect that every GP surgery in the land now has 'coded markers' identifying each and everyone of us to the staff, who may or may not be 'terrorist' sympathisers. I'm sure some would accuse me of paranoia, but the number of confirmed UK terrorist offenders with links to the NHS is somewhat worrying. Remember the nice Doctor who tried to blow up Glasgow Airport?
For the sake of arguement, let's ignore the facts that a) sporting guns are hardly any terrorists weapon of choice and b) why run the risk of capture during a theft/home invasion, when you can jump on a ferry to Europe and buy whatever you want in the way of reactivated deacts in the Czech Republic. However, in the event that some random terrorists turn up looking to help themselves to my sporting firearms it appears that the authorities imagine the conversation will be something like, (Terrorists) "Hi, we're from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Judea. We've come for your guns." (Me) "I'm sorry they're secured as per the conditions of my firearms certificate, so they're locked up at the moment." (Terrorists) "Oh! Could you let us know when the cabinet will be open and we'll call back then?" (Me) "Certainly. Would 5 p.m. tomorrow be convenient?"
I think folk in authority need to get a serious grip on reality, rather than playing politically motivated a**e-covering games. The best security you can have is to minimise the number of folk that know you have firearms on the premises. Unfortunately, that rather mitigates against those of us who are trying to promote our sport to the wider world.
Clearly, if there is a significant threat of legally held firearms being forceably removed from certificate holders under duress, perhaps we should be permitted to carry concealed handguns to counter the threat - just like a number of well known politicians do, across in Northern Ireland? In the interim, I think that our police officers could be more usefully employed during any slack hours chatting up members of the potential terrorist/criminal community rather than banging on people's doors asking to look at their cabinet.
 
At the moment there is no bullying or forced entry. If you don't like it you say "not now, make an appointment and come back" and they won't be forcing their way in. If however these spot checks make others who may be a bit slack with their security think "oh I may get a spot check, I'd better get my guns out tomorrow morning rather than tonight and leave them downstairs so not to wake the kids up" or after going out shooting in the rain and thinking "I'll just leave the rifle out to dry while I nip out and pick the kids up" then thats a good thing. Just like the drink drive spot check around Xmas, it does inconvenience a few and it does catch a few but it can't be measured how many it prevents through the fear they may get caught out.
 
I've got to agree that you'd think that some police areas would be better off getting applications of all sorts done on time. They generally include a security check....
 
My renewals turned up on friday 29th july with a letter explaining that to comply with an updated firearms guidance they may do spot checks and discuss security. Fine by me the cabinets are all up to BS (british standards not b%%l sh%t standards) and the 120 pound furball with attitude is probably the best deterrant around. I live in a small hamlet with around 20 houses and any stranger showing up is quickly picked up on the comunity radar, so apart from fitting an alarm system I think most bases are covered. The police have to comply with the legislation and so do we, unfortunately low staffing in the firearms depts lead to delays, perhaps sending renewals in well in advance may help??
 
So if they turned up and said we just want to check your kids that you are not abusing them in any way you would be ok with that.After all it is keeping them safe

Irrelevant, you don't apply for a licence to keep children. When you sign your FAC you sign up to the legislation that surrounds it. Don't want to meet the requirements of that legislation, don't sign your ticket -simple really.
 
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