Good old Met Police... Not

mrhim

Well-Known Member
So my FAC & SGC & EU Firearms Pass are up for renewal in the next couple of months. So like a responsible firearms owner I filled my application out in good time. As I was sending back all 3 Certifcates I thought best to send it by courier as it's a sensative document you don't want going through the post. As well all know how secure Royal Mail is.

So my courier (a national provider) Picks up my envelope and duly drives it over to the office, finds the front desk and say 'I've got a letter for the Firearms Enquire Team' Only to be told you can't deliver letter by courier and it can only be delivered by Royal Mail... The courier firm call me to say they won't accept the letter. I ask them to wait and try and call the department.

i call up the FET and say, what's going on? Why can't a courier deliver a sensitive document to your department of all departments. FET response was well you should only send letters by Royal Mail to this office and we can't accept courier deliverys. after some much fast talking the chap agrees if not begrudgingly to go down and pick up the letter. Tuts at me down the phone and reminded me several times again that this shouldn't have happened and I'm a very naughty boy for wanting to send a very sensative letter hand delivered be it by courier. In the back of my mind I'm thinking, some favour your doing me, I've enclosed a cheque for £60 odd quid and who made up the rule only Royal Mail can be used to deliver letters to the civil service...

i regularly hear that a lot of shooters have a good relationship with there FET and will often 'pop in' for a chat or to amend a variation. Well fat chance with the Met Police.

And this is from the force sorry 'service' that has already lost a variation they sent to me. God knowns where that certificate is roaming and who's hands it ended up in. Scary, as they send the document unsigned and with slots to be filled by second class mail.
 
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I do note that their website firearms page clearly states in bold type "Empress State Building will not accept courier deliveries"


 
I must say all the years I've been shooting I've never been on there website as I've never needed to.
 
So to summarise, what you are really saying is "Thank you very much Mr Policeman for going out of your way to help me (and for apparently breaching policy/guidelines to do so)"?
 
That's shocking. To be honest I can understand it for normal post as courtiers have access inner sanctum minus security checks and stuff plus they could carry anything dodgy in vs Royal Mail where it goes through "security". Still for the firearms stuff you would think they would make an exception but hey ho.
 
No im not saying thank you. Why on earth is a letter delivered to the from desk by Royal Mail any difrent to a letter delivered by DHL?? It seems every other force you can actually go down and hand them the application in in person. The Met are as always unhelpful and awkward.
 
That's shocking. To be honest I can understand it for normal post as courtiers have access inner sanctum minus security checks and stuff plus they could carry anything dodgy in vs Royal Mail where it goes through "security". Still for the firearms stuff you would think they would make an exception but hey ho.

Not accessing the 'Inner sanctum' just dropping a letter off at the front reception that anyone off the street can access. Basically there is no good reason for it.
 
+1 for the website: it is absolutely clear.
I just sent my FAC off to the Met for variation and they were fast and extremely helpful.
 
Not accessing the 'Inner sanctum' just dropping a letter off at the front reception that anyone off the street can access. Basically there is no good reason for it.

Probably something daft like if RM goes to a Post Room. Courier probably front desk or something like that unchecked could be anthrax or anything. Sounds silly I know but that's how these people think because whilst you and I mean well. Plenty of people who don't.
 
Probably just them using an organised secure method of acceptance?

If handed in personally/courier, no actual record of delivery so less secure?

Nothing wrong with RM recorded, use it every time but agree odd the way they return certificates?
 
So how do they cope with personal delivery by hand? I always take my variations / renewal documents to my police HQ on the basis that at least I know they got there. I find it interesting that they always return my FAC with spaces for acquiring firearms by second class post, but there you go.
 
You probably don't want to hear this but, I have a great relationship with my FEO at met police.

Always very accommodating and available over the telephone, he's been nothing but helpful.

sorry to hear that isn't the case for you.
 
You would think it was because of security. But having spoken to a for RM security manager RM UK Mail isn't treated any differently to other courier mail services.

Another thing that concerns me is. The Police send your FAC / SGC by standard 2nd class mail. Not signed for or recorded. Surely this is crazy!
 
The Police send your FAC / SGC by standard 2nd class mail. Not signed for or recorded. Surely this is crazy!

I used to think so as well.
So I asked my feb years ago why this happened....
He said we are told to use signed for service to protect ourselves, generally we are writing to inform them of a change is gun ownership.
I signed for service does at least prove we sent something.
It has nothing to do with the security of the certificate, which is why we are not required to send variations and renewals in using a signed or service.
I realise that most of do, but there is no requirement to do so.

These days we probably never need to use a signed for service as notifications of sale or purchase are in the main done by email.

Neil. :)
 
So how do they cope with personal delivery by hand? I always take my variations / renewal documents to my police HQ on the basis that at least I know they got there. I find it interesting that they always return my FAC with spaces for acquiring firearms by second class post, but there you go.

Very poorly? if the person who you handed it to (thinking civilian/G4S) doesn't sign it in and you are unable to prove that you notified them of a transaction after the event? Maybe?
 
Imagine if everybody sent applications by courier or delivered them by hand and every time they had to come down from whatever floor they are on! I imagine the reason for the policy is that all mail is security screened at a remote location before it ever arrives at their offices.

F
 
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