Wiltshire Police Firearms Department

The Colonel

Active Member
Firearms departments come in for a lot of stick and some of it is justified. Wiltshire however should be responsible for the training of all other regions.
I have just "popped in" unannounced which I know is wrong for some advice on the time required to submit a variation for a foreign trip I have just booked
The FEO was more than happy to give me the advice then, when he could see I needed the variation urgently to get my EFP sorted and rifle purchased he told me to take a seat and he would sort it out (1 for 1)
I now have my ticket with the required variation and I can now get my trip sorted
Now I would always make an appointment first to get these sort of things sorted but I wanted to get the advice and chanced my arm by popping in. What I got was a very professional FEO that could see my situation was different and chose to provide a first class service.
Wiltshire are a fantastic firearms department and I applaud them for the service and assistance they afford licence holders. Well done Wiltshire !
 
I think we are very lucky with the Wiltshire force, comparing to what some people has to put up with. Wiltshire has always provided me with a brilliant service, Just hope this sort of service doesnt change.
 
North Yorkshire and Cleveland forces are just the same.. Both will bend over backwards to do variations there and then and don't get pedantic about calibres and conditions.. Excellent service from excellent police forces.
 
I wish thames valley were the same 11 and a half months since I sent in my shotgun renewal and I still havent got it
 
have you complained in writing ?
I have been in constant contact with them I sent in the renewal 6 months in advance as they requested the certificate ran out over 5 months ago I was issued a sec 7 but that runs out in a couple of weeks I was only contacted by the feo about 3 weeks ago not his fault as he had only just been sent the paperwork talking to other sgc and fac holders this seems to be the norm with thames valley these days I see the average times published in the shooting times for TV were 180 days wishfull thinking,if that were true my renewal would have been with me by the time the old one ran out
 
Lived in Wiltshire for 10 years. Top service from the guys there I never had a problem. I am now in West Sussex just done a variation . Posted on Monday and returned today (Thursday) great service. My mate lives in the Thames Valley , applied for his FAC in April and has been told not to expect anything till after Christmas, appalling service.
Tusker
 
Section 7 permits are ok for shotguns but for FAC they don't allow you to hold expanding ammunition so any such ammunition needs to be stored at a registered firearms dealer thus no stalking!
 
Reading stuff on here I realise we are lucky - it took a week to issue me a revised FAC once I'd done my dsc1 and could lose the supervised condition.

Richard
 
Things have changed ?
I rang today to find out when it would be convenient to call in for a notification of disposal and a variation for an acquisition and was told to download a form, fill it in and send it off to them and they would deal with it as soon as they could !!
I was gobsmacked. They have always been brilliant in that when calling in they help with the paperwork and deal with it there and then. I must admit I was not speaking to the person I usually deal with and have dealt with for more than thirty years.
 
Section 7 permits are ok for shotguns but for FAC they don't allow you to hold expanding ammunition so any such ammunition needs to be stored at a registered firearms dealer thus no stalking!

Expanding is no longer section 5 so I would imagine this is not the case
 
Things have changed ?
I rang today to find out when it would be convenient to call in for a notification of disposal and a variation for an acquisition and was told to download a form, fill it in and send it off to them and they would deal with it as soon as they could !!
I was gobsmacked. They have always been brilliant in that when calling in they help with the paperwork and deal with it there and then. I must admit I was not speaking to the person I usually deal with and have dealt with for more than thirty years.

The head Admin lady (name escapes me) retired last year, they are fairly pushed at the moment but service is still excellent as far as I can tell. If they know you need something in a hurry, they always do their best to accommodate. Did my renewal before Christmas, went in to pick it up and handed the old Certs in, rang up and explained that I was away in Devon stalking and had a clay shoot in Kent before the new tickets came in, one of the admin team dropped my old cert's around that night. Can't ask for better service than that !!
 
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