Got arrested this morning

New Avon Arms
Trickyd66 said:
OK, the right or wrong of the police action / response regards the OP's originally post I don't know, as I don't have the full details.

However attitudes amongst the general (non shooting) public have changed drastically over the last 35 or so years.

As a 14 year old I could walk a mile and a half to an air rifle club (in a church hall of all places). Obviously carrying a firearm of some type in a gun slip. Passed the main police station, and nobody would bat an eyebrow.

Today I feel if someone sees what could be a firearm, in any form, I could be subject to a visit from armed response.

Sad times.
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A lot of what you worry about is in your mind, and shooters have worked themselves into this situation of paranoia.

You only have to look at some of the stupid questions that get asked on here from time to time, eg:
- How do I cross a road from one part of my ground to the other, while carrying my rifle?
- How do I drop off a rifle at my local RFD in town, if I can't park right outside his door?
- How do I get my rifle from my house to my car parked on the street?

I agree that what the OP has experienced may be an extreme case, but if we let rare situations like that affect our ability to carry out normal legal activities, where's it going to end?

(Incidentally, the answer to all three questions above is: Walk).
 
VSS said:
A lot of what you worry about is in your mind, and shooters have worked themselves into this situation of paranoia.

You only have to look at some of the stupid questions that get asked on here from time to time, eg:
- How do I cross a road from one part of my ground to the other, while carrying my rifle?
- How do I drop off a rifle at my local RFD in town, if I can't park right outside his door?
- How do I get my rifle from my house to my car parked on the street?

I agree that what the OP has experienced may be an extreme case, but if we let rare situations like that affect our ability to carry out normal legal activities, where's it going to end?

(Incidentally, the answer to all three questions above is: Walk).
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Well said sir.
 
When I lived in Cheshire/Greater Manchester I once rang into the control room to advise them I'd be shooting on a local golf course (only rang in as it bordered housing). On getting through to the control room the lady who answered asked what I would be shooting, when I told her rabbits she advised she wasn't happy and the conversation was difficult.

Never rang in again!
 
dryan said:
When I lived in Cheshire/Greater Manchester I once rang into the control room to advise them I'd be shooting on a local golf course (only rang in as it bordered housing). On getting through to the control room the lady who answered asked what I would be shooting, when I told her rabbits she advised she wasn't happy and the conversation was difficult.

Never rang in again!
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I agreed to trial it for a month, first call was difficult, asking what firearms I'd be using, when I asked why they needed that information, "to check if you have permission to have it", eh no. After that every operator was very good, to the point I was on first name terms with them and exchanged niceties. At one point I was called to see if I was ok as I'd stayed out longer than normal (awkward fox). Still binned it after the month as lots of times you could be on hold for quite a while, which is understandable as emergency calls must take priority. If they introduced a text/email service I might look at it again
 
Robinson said:
I must say that reading some of the comments here blow my mind. Ex soldiers ( or maybe present) who try to normalize sticking guns in peoples faces, by telling "that's what we did in Iraq." We are talking about England here, and not downtown Bagdad. And the English countryside. I have spent a lot of time on the English countryside (but not hunting) , mostly up in Oxfordshire, and that is not a war zone. It's a peaceful and beautiful place. Having some here suggest that it goes with the territory when you're a hunter, that one has to accept being shackled up and threatened with guns by the police, is really a tall order. Why would police behave like this? Because you might be a poacher? Even without the hunting guns you might be a rapist. A much worse offense. Most of you guys here are equipped to be one. With the logic some have displayed here, I should expect to be tackled and put in irons every time I walk by the school here in my neighborhood. I might be child molester for all the police know. Better safe than sorry. Im sorry guys, but you are on a dangerous slippery slope towards really dark times if you accept this...
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That’s a bad analogy.

It’s like being arrested outside a school after a malicious call indicated you were attempting to abduct a child.

The trouble is the cops are hung out to dry for every decision they make by the media, and social media, so they are in a constant state of second guessing themselves. It’s been detrimental at all levels within the organisation.

I have often said, on here, the british public will get the police they deserve. Well it’s happening, plummeting standards, 60% attrition in places, tenured cops leaving in their droves. Hold on tight!
 
No, the school analogy isn't a bad one. It's a quite precise one. The thread starter didn't threaten anyone. And didn't do anything malicious. He was threatened and shackled by the police for simply being present. For being. There is no way to call this anything but bad police work.
 
Robinson said:
No, the school analogy isn't a bad one. It's a quite precise one. The thread starter didn't threaten anyone. And didn't do anything malicious. He was threatened and shackled by the police for simply being present. For being. There is no way to call this anything but bad police work.
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There was a call to the police about the OP.

We do not know the content of the call. It could have stated anything. It was clearly disingenuous, hence a FOI would establish wether it was an over reaction requiring involvement of BASC/NGO, or in fact the police’s hand was forced.
 
Yes, there was probably accusations. But, the police are supposed to be educated. In Norway the police education is a bachelor grade study. I dont know how well British police is educated, but I am sure it is harder to become a police officer than to flip hamburgers at McDonalds. And this is the reason for the education. To be able to assess and make good judgment. This wasn't an example of that.
 
Robinson said:
Yes, there was probably accusations. But, the police are supposed to be educated. In Norway the police education is a bachelor grade study. I dont know how well British police is educated, but I am sure it is harder to become a police officer than to flip hamburgers at McDonalds. And this is the reason for the education. To be able to assess and make good judgment. This wasn't an example of that.
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Fn5 said:
Legally speaking, he was detained, not arrested, so you should be good ;)
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No, he says they were arrested, I know the first post is about a three day walk from this side of the thread, but he did say it
 
Greenmist said:
No, he says they were arrested, I know the first post is about a three day walk from this side of the thread, but he did say it
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That he did, apologies, but that merely allows the police to carry out a search, I'm assuming that he and Co. were then de-arrested at the scene.

It's a poor show by the police for sure, and unfortunately our police tend to know f*ck all about firearms and firearms laws to some degree (yes, even ARV/Armed police).

I'm rather curious as to the calls that were put in to get that response though, rather OTT to say the least. Definitely worth a complaint by the OP!
 
simgre said:
I’m struggling to see where the issue is? Report made, investigated quickly, apologised to and OP left to get on…

All this “angry from the country…” really needs a bit of reflection.
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The issue for me is that those of us that grew up with firearms and and have a traditional shooting background have had it drummed into us that you don’t point a gun at something you don’t intend to shoot, and never ever ever allow your gun to be pointed or swung past a person. It is part of our being and is so ingrained it causes outrage, rightly in my opinion, when it happens. Regardless of the circumstance.
 
So you would rather an unarmed neighbourhood car attended, because non attendance should not be an option? And on arrival discover the report is a couple of Albanian drug dealers hiding their stash in the woods? Or a couple of blokes testing their reactivated/printed firearms? Or a couple of extreme right wing or Islamist potential terrorists “training in the woods”? Or even a couple of miscreants had hit the OP over the head and stolen their firearms?

Fact is, the police attended a “firearms call”, they would have been remiss in attending any other way. As the OP said, the police were polite, efficient and when discovered there were. I offences apologised for the inconvenience. Where’s the issue?

“We who live in the country…” no, stuff is different now. My first magnum revolver was delivered to my door by the postman, long since done.

And yes, I’ve have had guns pointed at me before and I have had the police respond to me on my permission. Expect it, or stay on the target range.
 
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