Norfolk FLD 'Safe shooter assessment'

[nic531]

If you are a BASC member, phone and speak to the firearms dept at Marford Mill.
I did when asked some silly questions. they gave me the quote to use which I cannot recall all of now but basically experience is neither calibre nor quarry specific so if you had shot bunnies with a 22 or elephants with a nitro express, it was all experience and counted as the question's it safe to go bang' is the same

 

[Bo Diddley]

I had a drive around the farm a few years ago with the FEO, all very basic, wanting to see the land (2600 acres) and asked a few questions.

I have heard that there have been some changes in leadership, and the criteria with Norfolk & Suffolk is to revoke as many certificates as they can, how true I don't know, it came from someone who knows the FEO from years ago, the conversation came up at his renewal.
Edit my ticket was "Open" from day one.. I had previously been a Fac holder.

 

[Dagless]

Thanks all for your replies so far, it's been interesting and useful to read your perspectives and experiences. I'll provide updates on my progress as and when I have them, as it seems that this assessment is a fairly new requirement that has a few implications for those looking to get into stalking.

 

[Dickie]

With your experience and RCO qualification, have you thought of writing to your PCC and enquire if this is a good use of budget for cash strapped departments when it’s not in the home office guidance?
Politely enquire what are the qualifications of those performing the assessment.

 

[cjm1066]

This sounds like very good news….
Finally, newcomers will no longer need to pay hundreds of pounds and take several days doing DSC1 to get their deer rifle, just get the pope out for a drive around looking at safe shots and hazards and Bob est ton oncle…

An excellent idea, introduced just before a review of firearm fees and full cost recovery!

What's even better is they can repeat it at each renewal, that should help maintain standards.

It will soon demonstrate how cheap DMQ is, a £500 FAC will soon have the sport in terminal decline.

A similar scheme for shotguns and airguns would be welcome.

Seriously, this sort of abuse of process needs to be challenged at the earliest opportunity, any SD member who isn't a member of a shooting organisation join now!

As for the keyboard warriors in Norfolk, contact your Police & Crime Commissionier now protesting at this abuse of power.

Those who support it, start researching a safe hobby such as stamp collecting.

 

[finnbear270]

Yet another example of make it up as you go along by a power tripper.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Needs challenging in the same way the GTA challenged the Mets requirement for medical assessments for those employed by RFDs - i.e. its not part of the legislative process.

That said, if the land hasn't already been cleared & you don't already have an open fac then it sounds very much like you are being asked to accompany an feo on a land check and demonstrate that you know the ground which is part of the HO guidance.

 

[goldypurple]

I'm with Norfolk and this is the first I've heard about this requirement, Good Luck

 

[chriswjx]

@Rick Dagless MD please email firearms@basc.org.uk about this if you are a BASC member. If not, please PM me more details.

Thanks Conor!

 

[timbrayford]

Thanks all for your replies so far, it's been interesting and useful to read your perspectives and experiences. I'll provide updates on my progress as and when I have them, as it seems that this assessment is a fairly new requirement that has a few implications for those looking to get into stalking.

Also questionable about whether parliament writes the firearms act or if it's acceptable for chiefs of police to make up ad-hoc laws of their own?

 

[sy247]

I would push back strongly on this. It doesn't sound right to me at all. Most importantly get advice on how to approach the situation from your shooting organisation. Be polite, but firm and get your facts right. Do it in writing and if necessary write to the firearms licensing manager at Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary.

 

[DVS1]

Sounds like they're making up their own rules.

A firearms licensing dept making up their own rules!?!?! Preposterous!!!! I shall not hear it!

 

[Eddie P]

I live in Staffordshire and my main land is Cumbria, it'd be a long day out if Staffs want to send an FEO to walk my land.

 

[Bo Diddley]

I live in Staffordshire and my main land is Cumbria, it'd be a long day out if Staffs want to send an FEO to walk my land.

Funny you should say that, I know someone who has got his FAC back and he purposefully used land owned by his brother-in-law because it was in another county, he has no intention of ever shooting there

 

[Bowland blades]

Has anybody here had experience of undertaking the Norfolk Firearms Licensing Department's 'safe shooter assessment'?

I'm currently awaiting the availability of the FEO who covers the area I have a land permission on to conduct said assessment on me, so I can have my certificate changed to allow me to shoot deer and AOLQ. From what they've told me, it more or less duplicates the practical element of the DSC1 safety stalk assessment.

Apparently this is standard operating procedure for anyone who is new to shooting live quarry. I passed my DSC1 earlier this year, and have held an FAC for more than a decade (restricted to target shooting). I've competently stalked and shot deer since gaining my DSC1 whilst accompanied by experienced stalkers, using their rifle.

I was told that Norfolk FLD won't accept the completion of DSC1 alone as adequate proof that I am a safe shot, so need to varify this for themselves before they'll change the conditions on my certificate.

They assure me that I've done nothing wrong to merit having to do the assessment, so presumably the practice is widespread, therefore the chances are a few of you on here will have done it already, right?

I am dead against Police making up their own rules ! Level one pass includes safety briefings and test on safe shots / general firearms handling ! Sounds like someone is building a nice little side gig here ? What next will we see next ? If its all free and faster than getting on a DSC1 with experianced hunters running it ( also excepting all other providers ie our Orgs ) that's a different matter ! so long as it does not hold the process back for many months / years which is very possible going to become a tool . The "safe land" thing is utter BS there is no safe land only a safe shot or an unsafe one and in my personal experiances and past police actions with firearms - they are certainly not the folks to handle any such venture .
I mean its not like Police have not shot totally innocent members of the public numerous times .
For the record , I was granted without any test as such but still took level 1 then level 2 very soon after . I very much think we should all do some training , its just who and when and where ( and the who should never be the police ). Look at history ..... how many police officers have shot the wrong person ? Have you ever seen the F_U events when they are called to shoot wandering or injured stock ? Do we remember the innocent cititzens they have killed? even ordered to kill! like that poor lad at the side of the train already held down at the train station ? He ran only thinking of his immigration visa if i remember correctly? Certainly not a danger to the public!
DSC1 has safety while handling firearms and identifying safe and un-safe shots , correct bullet placement . Those who run these events are not just a random bloke off the street they are usually gamekeepers / deerstalkers of great experience.
Ultimately police have a duty to enforce the law - Not make it up as they go along ! To do so is wasting the taxpayers money for no tangible gain for uk Citizens / taxpayers

 

[Bowland blades]

I live in Staffordshire and my main land is Cumbria, it'd be a long day out if Staffs want to send an FEO to walk my land.

And walking the land proves what exactly anyhow ?

 

[finnbear270]

And walking the land proves what exactly anyhow ?

Whether you need Wellies or Crocs

 

[8x57]

I think I can see how this could develop/progress, and it certainly wouldn't go down well with a lot of shooters. Just remember that the whole medical records thing started in one force area not that many years ago (Lincs) and has since ended up rolled out to the whole country.

 

[mealiejimmy]

I think I can see how this could develop/progress, and it certainly wouldn't go down well with a lot of shooters. Just remember that the whole medical records thing started in one force area not that many years ago (Lincs) and has since ended up rolled out to the whole country.

Re the medical thing -it started with police Scotland in 2016 - none of the English forces implemented it like Police Scotland did - which was no medical letter = no certificate
Scotland was the test bed to see how it worked and it did not become mandatory until 2021

Cheers

Bruce

 

[8x57]

Re the medical thing -it started with police Scotland in 2016 - none of the English forces implemented it like Police Scotland did - which was no medical letter = no certificate
Scotland was the test bed to see how it worked and it did not become mandatory until 2021

Cheers

Bruce

I may be wrong Bruce but I thought that it was Lincs first when G4S took over admin of their firearms department and then Scotland?