Do we assume the worst of our FLD?

[SimpleSimon]

Hi all
Sometimes I read through posts (primarily) in this section and it seems like a lot of people tend to assume the worst when it comes to dealing with their FLD.
It seems like a lot of people gear up for a fight whenever they're about to request a variation or ask for some change in their FAC conditions.
So I thought I'd post a quick poll. Not considering long waiting times (unless brought on by something out of the ordinary) and maybe not counting basic 1-for-1 swaps and the like, do those who have recently dealt with their FLD find that they are generally unaccommodating, difficult to deal with and resistant to your requests. Or (as I suspect) are they mostly helpful and useful.

 

[Taff]

Just incompetent ,

 

[Shadrach2986]

Never been a problem realy, made a couple of ****ups but always rectified them when ask.

 

[Shootgun]

My mate is having a real nightmare with our FEO after our old and trusted one retired. He sent his FAC application back in May,based on payd stalking, and still haven't received his ticket, the FEO is asking if the land is cleared for the caliber ?
On the other side, another friend , under the same force (met police) sent his application and got his FAC with 3 calibers on it, in under 3 weeks.
That tells me is not about your FLD, but is all about your FEO.

 

[Ranger22]

In for a renewal at the moment, not heard a squeak from them. No news good news? My son has just recently been granted his shotgun cert, they did a very comprehensive check on him. Maybe a wee bit over the top but maybe just a sign of the times

 

[FrenchieBoy]

I have no problems or complaints with my Firearms Office (Lancashire) and find that they are more than helpful if I have to speak to them with any sort of enquiry and usually deal with any variations for me very quickly and efficiently. Lancashire (In my experience) do not tend to put in any unreasonable conditions or barriers and are very helpful - If you talk to then in a reasonable manner rather than being "demanding" or trying to come over to them as "I know it all and that's what I want"!

 

[topscots1]

I have had two firearms Departments highland and now fife. Both under the umbrella of police Scotland. I can honestly say I can not fault the service of either one. Variations have always been conducted quickly and both sets of office staff have gone beyond the normal to be helpful when asked.

 

[tikka_madras]

I've had three police forces over the years. All have been absolutely fine.

I've had some strange experiences with individual staff (telling me my plan to go roe/munty stalking at the weekend in May was illegal as "deer were out of season", one armed officer not being able to open a shotgun, one thinking he'd found an illegal weapon when the number didn't match the cert (he was looking at the wrong gun, in a different make and bore size), certs coming back with errors on etc). But the actual people have all been perfectly pleasant and have got there in the end.

There is definitely a marked difference between the experienced FEOs and the people tasked from other roles without any knowledge though.

 

[timbrayford]

The service that I have received has been very variable, firstly the FEO's that I have met have generally been helpful and to my mind a valuable point of contact between the local shooting community & firearms licensing departments, however on occasion Hampshire Police have been remarkably petty.

A couple of examples that come to mind are when I initially applied for a .22 rimfire for vermin shooting they were not prepared to grant me this based on the land that I would be shooting over, after 6 months or so of being fobbed off I made a complaint, it then transpired that the landowner also had a .22 authorised for use on the same land and my FAC arrived soon after.

The second example was when I took up deer stalking. I already had a suitable .243 rifle that I had possessed for many years for target shooting and after successfully buying a guided stalk for a Roe buck in the BDS auction I sent my certificate off for the appropriate conditioning.

The Buck season came and went and after many further enquires with Hampshire Police I eventually got the variation, however they were not happy. They claimed that it was most unusual to buy a stalking outing, they claimed that once I had been on the BDS stalk I would no longer have "good reason" for deer stalking and would be required to return my FAC for partial revocation although my use of the very same gun for target shooting would be unaffected.

I thought that it was quite absurd that every time I booked some stalking I would have to keep sending my FAC off to them to enable this and returning it to them again for the revocation afterwards. I made an official complaint which Hampshire Police rejected. I then contacted my M.P. and the Home Office and eventually I got a letter from the police permitting my stalking activities for the remaining duration of the FAC.

atb Tim

 

[Redneck]

Always found Strathclyde Dept very helpful and understanding of my requirements when going for variations etc. Have heard that lately they are under more pressure so I wonder if I will notice a difference on my next renewal.

 

[slider]

Our FEO is first class. One of the old school - Local lad and was a Bobbie before taking on FEO duties - knows his people, knows his patch and knows firearms.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have always had good service from what was Lothian & Borders, and previously when I lived in the Thames Valley. But then I always try to make any requests simple and reasonable and provide good evidence and information to support any request.

 

[Coleman21d]

I've just phoned my FEO to ask about the conditions on my license and about shooting over more land. And they couldn't be more helpful. Always a pleasure to deal with as long as you give them a chance. This is Humberside Police by the way.

 

[Legolas]

It does seem like some people fear the worst when contacting/dealing with their FLDs. I must say that North Yorkshire are brilliant to deal with, friendly, helpful and have a very practical/down to earth approach to the rules and regs. I think that on my first application, as a complete newbie to privately owned firearms, I must have been on the phone to them with some pretty daft questions. All of them were dealt with in a friendly helpful manner and I was never made to feel like I was wasting their time.

waiting times are horrendous though, but that's not down to the staff.

 

[Greymaster]

The service that I have received has been very variable, firstly the FEO's that I have met have generally been helpful and to my mind a valuable point of contact between the local shooting community & firearms licensing departments, however on occasion Hampshire Police have been remarkably petty.

A couple of examples that come to mind are when I initially applied for a .22 rimfire for vermin shooting they were not prepared to grant me this based on the land that I would be shooting over, after 6 months or so of being fobbed off I made a complaint, it then transpired that the landowner also had a .22 authorised for use on the same land and my FAC arrived soon after.

The second example was when I took up deer stalking. I already had a suitable .243 rifle that I had possessed for many years for target shooting and after successfully buying a guided stalk for a Roe buck in the BDS auction I sent my certificate off for the appropriate conditioning.

The Buck season came and went and after many further enquires with Hampshire Police I eventually got the variation, however they were not happy. They claimed that it was most unusual to buy a stalking outing, they claimed that once I had been on the BDS stalk I would no longer have "good reason" for deer stalking and would be required to return my FAC for partial revocation although my use of the very same gun for target shooting would be unaffected.

I thought that it was quite absurd that every time I booked some stalking I would have to keep sending my FAC off to them to enable this and returning it to them again for the revocation afterwards. I made an official complaint which Hampshire Police rejected. I then contacted my M.P. and the Home Office and eventually I got a letter from the police permitting my stalking activities for the remaining duration of the FAC.

atb Tim

The Hampshire Chief Constable is the "lead" on firearms and explosives of the NPCC (the successor to ACPO, where he was also lead). Hampshire happens to be the second worse performing police force in England & Wales with respect to firearms licensing. According to a HMIC report recently. BASC have been cosying up to this police chief to get his buy in to 10 year licences. While I have had complaint in the past with undue delays in Hampshire, I put it down to poor leadership. How can the national lead have any credibility when the force he has authority over shows up to be so poor in independent audits?

 

[bewsher500]

On the whole I find that the majority of poor decisions are made due to poor applications or trying to work within a framework that doesn't accommodate the request

If you have all your good reasons, justifications and legal and ballistic information in line and presented well the FLD simply have no choice but to accommodate
They are administrators, not permission givers

The only time I had any problem was when I asked for Boar to be added as a quarry condition
To be fair this was partly due to my lack of knowledge of the relevant section of the HO Guidance and partly because they didn't have a specific situation in their framework that matched my requirement

it all went out the window when they brought in AOLQ anyway!

other than that I have always been granted authority for every rifle I have requested including multiple rifles of the same calibre, calibres/cartridge combinations that overlap (.17m2/.17HMR, .22lr/.22wmr, .222, .243. 270, .308, .300wm and an HD .22lr pistol)

the majority has been with L&B now Police Scotland

 

[timbrayford]

The Hampshire Chief Constable is the "lead" on firearms and explosives of the NPCC (the successor to ACPO, where he was also lead). Hampshire happens to be the second worse performing police force in England & Wales with respect to firearms licensing. According to a HMIC report recently. BASC have been cosying up to this police chief to get his buy in to 10 year licences. While I have had complaint in the past with undue delays in Hampshire, I put it down to poor leadership. How can the national lead have any credibility when the force he has authority over shows up to be so poor in independent audits?

I agree, Hampshire Police need to take a close look at how their FLD is led.

atb Tim

 

[eldon]

West Yorkshire Police did me fine, no problems and seemed competent....... except sending a change of address back to the old one doh!
Now in North Yorkshire and I can't fault them either; They did what they needed to, for when they needed to, which in my mind is a good fair service.

 

[N1mr0d]

Kent, Sussex and now Suffolk - all exemplary

 

[Yoda]

Avon and Somerset very good