Dyfed Powys Police firearms licensing issues

[Conor O'Gorman]

BASC update here:

Firearms licensing service raised with Dyfed Powys

BASC has met with the Chief Constable for Dyfed Powys to raise member issues with the police force's firearms licensing department.

basc.org.uk

 

[Bledd]

Only got nice things to say about Dyfed Powys TBH. Variation back end of last year back within 3 weeks and renewal (over Xmas/New Years) back within 4 weeks. Longest bit of the process is getting the GP to spend 5 mins (and £50 of my money) pulling up my record. Using the online system makes a big difference

 

[broad_head]

Glad you have had good service from them, I just seem to have problems with anything I apply for.

 

[Craigsaun]

I have only good things to say about Dyfed Powys police they have been very good with me

 

[Andy seatrout]

They took 17 weeks to process my Co-terminus renewal and add a 6.5x55 to my ticket for deer/ fox…..in spring 2021….. I only got it approved and processed in three days when I said I was writing to the chief Constable and my MP……

Apparently the senior office IC was concerned I’d be driving up to Scotland and just ‘loosing off’ at deer Willy-nilly…. Showed a shocking lack of knowledge for a person making such decisions….

Before this no problems…..

 

[Tim.243]

Glad you have had good service from them, I just seem to have problems with anything I apply for.

all the answers are in the guidance notes...

facing this way

 

[VSS]

I believe Dyfed / Powys is the area with the highest number of firearms per head of the population.
(Not that that's of any relevance to the licensing issues people are experiencing, but I just thought it an interesting fact!)

 

[Andy seatrout]

I believe Dyfed / Powys is the area with the highest number of firearms per head of the population.
(Not that that's of any relevance to the licensing issues people are experiencing, but I just thought it an interesting fact!)

It’s a big very rural county, doesn’t surprise me tbh…… I’m in north Powys near Oswestry and it carries on another ten miles north from here till you hit Wrexham county, travel west and you’re still in Powys in Machynlleth ( nearly at the seaside) and if I were to drive to the southern border of the county south of Brecon- it’d take me two hours by car ……

 

[Rusty Gate]

They took 17 weeks to process my Co-terminus renewal and add a 6.5x55 to my ticket for deer/ fox…..in spring 2021….. I only got it approved and processed in three days when I said I was writing to the chief Constable and my MP……

Apparently the senior office IC was concerned I’d be driving up to Scotland and just ‘loosing off’ at deer Willy-nilly…. Showed a shocking lack of knowledge for a person making such decisions….

Before this no problems…..

If you've permission, syndicate or paid stalks you can willy nilly as time & finances allow

 

[Rusty Gate]

I've always found them to be helpful & timely.
I've always made every effort to provide all information, reasoning & as clear as possible (some writing I've seen looks almost encrypted haha). They had a bit of a back log & a couple of FEO changes then Covid did its bit. They're tidy guy's & sure they'll get on top of it soon enough.

 

[Andy seatrout]

I've always found them to be helpful & timely.
I've always made every effort to provide all information, reasoning & as clear as possible (some writing I've seen looks almost encrypted haha). They had a bit of a back log & a couple of FEO changes then Covid did its bit. They're tidy guy's & sure they'll get on top of it soon enough.

The liaison officer was and remains helpful, I got the impression there was only so long he could cover for the delay and it being ‘stuck’ in the system…..

Before this they’d been remarkable helpful, but 17 weeks for a renewal and one variation to add 6.5 was very poor

 

[Stalker62]

4th August 2021.


Still...

 

[Rusty Gate]

The liaison officer was and remains helpful, I got the impression there was only so long he could cover for the delay and it being ‘stuck’ in the system…..

Before this they’d been remarkable helpful, but 17 weeks for a renewal and one variation to add 6.5 was very poor

I agree it would seem poor. Knowing the couple of FEO changes & training to go with it then throw in Covid I'm more understanding. Its 100% a job you cannot do from home, must be soul destroying walking into such a back log & everyone not happy about theirs being quick enough. A years worth plus what every shooting show & new product generate.
I fully sympathise but can also imagine their side aswell.
Hope your all sorted soon guys.

 

[8x57]

Covid is a convenient excuse, Dyfed Powys have always been way behind. The problem is that they cover such a very large rural area with in the most a barely acceptable road network. It takes me two hours to drive just through Powys when travelling up to North Wales. FEOs can if not working smart put in a considerable number of miles each day.
A buddy of mine lived just over the line in the South East corner of the force area for quite a few years and had nothing good to say about them regarding delays. He's now living back in another force area and is glad that he is living back in what he calls civilisation.

 

[Andy seatrout]

I agree it would seem poor. Knowing the couple of FEO changes & training to go with it then throw in Covid I'm more understanding. Its 100% a job you cannot do from home, must be soul destroying walking into such a back log & everyone not happy about theirs being quick enough. A years worth plus what every shooting show & new product generate.
I fully sympathise but can also imagine their side aswell.
Hope your all sorted soon guys.

Whilst I understand that point of view I’m not sure covid had much to do with it…… covid -19 I think in some cases ( not all I grant you) a convenient excuse for a reduction in productivity….

In my case a third renewal of a FAC and SGC with no ‘record’ and an open cert with all the written permissions / shooting rights needed.

I applied online- uploaded all the documents including my rather aging picture online, the conversations I had were over the phone and online, the final ‘reference’ I needed to get over the issue was a phone call ….. it wasn’t a mentoring requirement ( I’d had an open cert for five years and a .223 for ten years, so the addition risk in moving up from .223 to 6.5x55 was thankfully deemed low by the FEO)…. in essence every single stage of the process could have been done sat at home with a phone, a laptop and a secure VPN access…..

No home visit, not a new applicant etc… it may well have been a one off, and they accepted that 17 weeks was far too long….

 

[Rusty Gate]

Whilst I understand that point of view I’m not sure covid had much to do with it…… covid -19 I think in some cases ( not all I grant you) a convenient excuse for a reduction in productivity….

In my case a third renewal of a FAC and SGC with no ‘record’ and an open cert with all the written permissions / shooting rights needed.

I applied online- uploaded all the documents including my rather aging picture online, the conversations I had were over the phone and online, the final ‘reference’ I needed to get over the issue was a phone call ….. it wasn’t a mentoring requirement ( I’d had an open cert for five years and a .223 for ten years, so the addition risk in moving up from .223 to 6.5x55 was thankfully deemed low by the FEO)…. in essence every single stage of the process could have been done sat at home with a phone, a laptop and a secure VPN access…..

No home visit, not a new applicant etc… it may well have been a one off, and they accepted that 17 weeks was far too long….

Fingers crossed the back log has diminished & those times are reflecting it & getting less I hope