Do we assume the worst of our FLD?

[timbrayford]

Oh my god not another one that's been under investigation. Why have we got to have all the crooked dregs down here?
Google Nick Gargan and see what we've just got rid of!!
No wonder we call them Pike down here
They normally go round in groups, pick on the venerable and rot from the head down.

According to Hants Police website:- "Chief Constable Andy Marsh joined Hampshire Constabulary as deputy chief constable in September 2010 from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, where he was assistant chief constable. Mr Marsh was the first chief constable to be appointed by Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes."

 

[Yoda]

According to Hants Police website:- "Chief Constable Andy Marsh joined Hampshire Constabulary as deputy chief constable in September 2010 from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, where he was assistant chief constable. Mr Marsh was the first chief constable to be appointed by Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes."

Thick as thieves springs to mind.
Good job they've got nothing to do with firearms policy!

 

[nun_hunter]

I have had good dealing with sussex recently. From my experience as long as you have researched what you want and why you need it then all goes well. One thing I would say is I think things will get worse all round before they get better as nearly every police force is looking to regionalise their FLDs.

In theory this sounds great, more uniform decision making, cost savings and better working practices across the board but I imagine it'll really mean one department getting a few more staff but taking on the work of 3+ counties and so things will massively slow down or at least come into line with the worst performing county rather than the best. Maybe I'm just cynical though.

 

[Henroy]

Recently dealt with Staffs for a variation and some bits and bobs, can't fault them.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Some interesting feedback coming through here. It seems that mostly the "fear" associated with dealing with FEOs is unfounded and that most are reasonable and fairly proficient.
I myself have just requested a couple of condition tweaks on my certificate at the same time as a 1-for-1 on a moderator I have disposed of.
I'm eagerly awaiting their response, it's only been a week, I think.

 

[Yoda]

Some interesting feedback coming through here. It seems that mostly the "fear" associated with dealing with FEOs is unfounded and that most are reasonable and fairly proficient.
.

I think you are right. They are stuck in the middle with budget cuts and "customers" wanting their certs sorted out asap.

 

[Pedro]

I think that most of the posts on this site are made when there's some sort of problem. (Although you do get the odd "well done ***shire Police for turning round my application quickly" that nobody reads.) Frankly, bad news is what sells papers and is what we read and that most probably puts a wrong slant on things.

You also have to consider that where people have problems with their licencing department, we only get to hear one side of a story. There will be a lot of those where at least some of the fault is with the applicant. Not giving good reason has already been mentioned, which some have difficulty grasping and with the best will in the world, some of us have difficulty putting things in writing, going by the odd poster on here, where the meaning can get lost.


I guess all licencing departments make mistakes, especially where staff are new to the job. It's called real life. But I also expect that the vast majority do an excellent job, with the only real issue in some places being the sometimes horrendous time taken to complete. But I expect that for the FEO's and indeed the FLO's, that will also be a source of frustration.

 

[Lateral]

Herts, & Beds have been 1st class ! But I hear things are changing over there, and hope they are able to continue their excellent service.

 

[25 Sharps]

Wiltshire have been brilliant, no complaints from me,

This ^^

 

[kes]

Thinking about this, there are people who have problems - like with GMP - (thread on SD) and Durham who may be the worst. I have always thought that a list of who is good and not so good should be produced jointly by the shooting orgs as a valid 'customer survey'.
My own feeling is the police like everyone else are unhappy about negative comments or ratings and could well use such a customer survey as a 'spur' to those county's not doing well and as a justification for improving resources within individual forces.
There was a time when 'Best Value' assessments were undertaken for local authorities and Police Auth alike and I wonder if a call for these or even a form of Peer Review by our shooting organisations would highlight problems in a sensitive way and drive improvement ? One thing is for sure, they and we are in this together, if we assume we can help them, they should respond. Nobody responds to exclusively negative criticism well.

 

[Essex stalker]

I'm amazed Essex hasn't been mentioned on this post yet!!

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

Dont get me wrong i get on ok with my feo the few times we have met ,but its the whole shambles of trying to find anything out at all thats so frustrating they very rarely answer calls and when they do your fobbed off by send a letter in which then never gets answered or even an acknowledgement that it was received same with emails no reply and thats not for anything out of the ordinary ive sent in perms everytime ,one 1 4 1 ,every buy/or sell ,just normal stuff ,ive refereed three people in the last six months no ones called house/mobile or even contacted them,god knows what younger new shooters think as i will bet half if not more give up on the whole process!,If everything went swimmingly and the fld responded i too would be in with the other sixty or so ,and its not just me theres others in the area feel the same,but has been said no one wants to rock the boat just in case it gets worse!,ITS LIKE LISTENING TO THE WIND BLOWING THROUGH AN EMPTY WHAREHOUSE ,,ok at first then a ======= ballache,

 

[scrumbag]

I've tended to do fine with the Met. however I very carefully get all my ducks in a row before I go to them

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[Yoda]

Thinking about this, there are people who have problems - like with GMP - (thread on SD) and Durham who may be the worst. I have always thought that a list of who is good and not so good should be produced jointly by the shooting orgs as a valid 'customer survey'.
My own feeling is the police like everyone else are unhappy about negative comments or ratings and could well use such a customer survey as a 'spur' to those county's not doing well and as a justification for improving resources within individual forces.
There was a time when 'Best Value' assessments were undertaken for local authorities and Police Auth alike and I wonder if a call for these or even a form of Peer Review by our shooting organisations would highlight problems in a sensitive way and drive improvement ? One thing is for sure, they and we are in this together, if we assume we can help them, they should respond. Nobody responds to exclusively negative criticism well.

Do you really believe police are unhappy about negative feedback?
Maybe where you come from but certainly not in Somerset.
Within the last couple of years I have lost approximately £15,000 to criminal acts and they don't even come out any more.
Unless it's a murder case or speeding they are not interested.
Firearms licensing departments aren't anything to do with the police so we get a much better service.
I find the problems I've had were my own stupid fault for filling out a form incorrectly! So I can't blame them.

 

[kes]

Whats your MP doing about your concerns or the PCC ?

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

Its anti burnham!

 

[oager]

Northants good for the people I talk to plus my experience. There have been some staffing changes which have slowed things down. The FEO's knowledge of firearms and the local land is very good.

 

[Yoda]

Whats your MP doing about your concerns or the PCC ?

Wouldn't have a clue who my mp is!

After approximately 20 emails to A and S pcc and getting nowhere, also emails to the cc of A and S I've given up.
Budget cuts, lack of man power, etc etc.
What is the point?
I've seen most villages and all towns in Somerset having there own police to having 3 on duty in half of Somerset on a Sunday.
It's all to late and it can only get worse.

 

[Newbie Mark]

Wouldn't have a clue who my mp is!

After approximately 20 emails to A and S pcc and getting nowhere, also emails to the cc of A and S I've given up.
Budget cuts, lack of man power, etc etc.
What is the point?
I've seen most villages and all towns in Somerset having there own police to having 3 on duty in half of Somerset on a Sunday.
It's all to late and it can only get worse.

Well your MP will be about as useful as your PCC so I wouldn't bother.

The reality is simply that they don't have the resources to Police to any reasonable standard and that's that. As has been said they will attend serious crimes like murder and speeding tickets because it requires very little effort to write a letter and extract cash (or should I say make the roads safer). Oh and they will investigate things their political master tell them to but you won't remotely flag as important on any of their scales.

Back to the question of FLD's, I would say that if any FLD can be worse than West Mercia then they should be awarded a medal, because the effort they will have put in to achieve it is absolutely remarkable.

My apologies if I appear negative but it is based on my life experiences and issues that I am still dealing with.

 

[bewsher500]

This is not a resource issue
a firearms department with two people running it properly could fly through applications

lets face it the visits are not the hold up
it the mismanagement of a paper orocess

why for gods sake do they rewrite the outgoing FAC?!
i have had deletions andinsertion

the only thing that should be altered is the part been varied/added