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Another delay in sons FAC


Davyo
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To be honest,its the inconsistencies I am concerned over,if an application takes 6mths or 1 yr so be it.But when you phone and thinks are not being done or followed through then it becomes a concern. For instance if you read my other thread where it took me 7mths to get mine.The most disturbing part of it was when I had my home visit after 5 or 6 myths.I asked the FEO if he would like to see my SGC for id.His reply was oh do you have a SGC,I thought he was joking. I thought what have you been doing for 5/6mths you should know this.It is the same FEO that is dealing with my son. I will be contacting BASC if I don't get a response by next week.Also it is quite evident that guideline & procedure are probably not being following if the different timescales throughout the UK are anything to go by.

Edited by Davyo
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Don't phone. . If you do follow it up with a letter asking them to confirm what you requested in the phone call.

 

Put all your requests in writing even if you email them tell them you will send a copy for your file.

 

If you feel that it's taking too long write to the Chief of Police, showing a list of your communications with the department.

 

We only get the service that we let them give us.

 

Contact BASC

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I am not moaning i am posting because Durham are still in a mess after the Atherton shootings,not talking to each other & not logging things correctly.I couldnt give a **** if it takes 12mths but what i would like is some feed back from Durham instead of i dont know

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Well I sent my Sgc back a few month ago just basically cos it was damaged by rain ...less than a week later I got it back with a 20g I sold 2 years earlier and a gun from in my cabinet not even on the cert !! I rang them up and was told ill get it sorted and a new one sent straight out ... To be fair they did send it out to me within a few days ......

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Update,good news this morning as the FEO phoned first thing this morning & asked to speak to Josh. The FEO asked for the name of his head of year & will phone him today as just wants a chat re Josh's character rather than a reply in writing as he already has 2 x reference letters.Irony is Josh is now in plaster for 6 weeks as he broke his arm lol

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  • 2 weeks later...

Indeed, I have a 23yr old son with Aspergers Syndrome. He's been shooting since 2006, first with clay pigeon and then in 2007 we joined an indoor shooting range.

 

We had a 40min conversation with his GP (head of practice) who said there was no reason he could see whay he shouldn't apply for his own SGC. Had the FEO out and said he was 110% happy with him, no problems at all. Several weeks later and we eventually found out that another GP at the practice (who knows nothing about his condition and has only seen him once for an ingrowing toenail!) had replied to the police query and wrote complete rubbish, mis-quoted a report to read that he was discharged from the Transitions team for not making progress (untrue, he was discharged as he turned 18 which is their age limit) and he didn't make a lot of progress as nobody told us this service was available until he was 17-1/2, should have been seeing them from age 16. He also said that in his opinion he shouldn't be given a license!.

 

This letter is now firmly stuck in his file, Durham allowed a withdrawal of the application so he can still shoot (not having been refused) but won't budge unless we can get someone more qualified to overturn it, so far that's taking years to try and do as the NHS/SCD are doing everything possible to be no help at all.

 

During the 7 years he's been shooting he's become a member of 4 clubs, has his NRA Shooter Certification Card and having passed every clubs probation period and the NRA club course has been safely shooting shotgun, centre fire rifle and 22lr etc. for over 6 years.

Edited by phaedra1106
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Fair enough. My son is only 1 so I've a long time before I have to worry. You could try writing a letter to your local MP, emails are good to as you've immediate access to all correspondence from both parties. Explain the situation as thoroughly as possible. If you do not get a reasonable response then send another, and another - they'll reply eventually. Any news from BASC? You've paid the money and haven't received the service in return so one could argue you have grounds pursue this further At least tell them you'll be taking further advice from a more qualified person - the police hate negative press. If you live in a rural area and this license will help a youngster further their prospective career when he leaves school it should be of interest to quite a few different bodies, especially given that the licensing authorities are being so obstructive in their proceedings.

 

In your letters, (if you've got the time) include a bit of research on case studies of other under 18's being granted their FAC, particularly if you can find any that would have been granted by Durham Constabulary.

 

On a side note, NY police were absolute fantastic when I applied for mine - informative & helpful support on the phone and the friendliness and professionalism of the Firearms officer, and the speed and efficiency with which everything was handled. I can't remember how much it cost, somewhere around the £50 mark, but when you consider how much you actually get for that, the gun cabinet check, land check, all the paper pushing, the interviews...when it goes right it's a bargain. I actually said it was too cheap and the Firearms officer laughed, agreeing with me and said the £50 odd only covers 26% of the actual cost of granting a Firearms License. So whether you like it or not, we're all paying to make up the extra in one way or another.

 

He also said that police, in certain counties, have (or are going to) outsourced to G4S for applications, make of that as you will.

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Just out of curiosity, why does your son need his own license? Doesn't an under 16 have to be accompanied by an adult at all times anyway? Presumably you don't mind him using your gun...? Not trying to be rude, just wondering :)

You can shoot with a shotgun unaccompanied at 15 and with FAC rifles at 14.

 

This is providing you are suitable licenced, have permission etc.

 

FM

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You can shoot a rifle, gun powder n all, at 14 unsupervised? Jesus

 

Why are you surprised. You can drive a tractor on the road at 16, a car at 17 and die for your country at 18.

 

Not that many years ago most people started work at 15. Despite what the newspapers report most youngsters are sensible and trustworthy.

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Why are you surprised. You can drive a tractor on the road at 16, a car at 17 and die for your country at 18.

 

Not that many years ago most people started work at 15. Despite what the newspapers report most youngsters are sensible and trustworthy.

 

Your argument doesn't make sense, you've listed a bunch of parameters that are not relevant to a 14 year old. A 16 year old is more mature than a 14 year old, an 18 year old even more so. In France, the age of consent is 15, does that make it right? I do agree, however, that most adolescents are sensible and trustworthy. They are, however, still children, and regardless of how sensible they are still possess a certain amount of immaturity. Fair enough; children and gun crime isn't something you hear about and so my argument is relatively invalid. But it's still a little scary to think a 14 year can be running around with a rifle, unsupervised.

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Have to agree 14 is to young to be going unsupervised with a rifle a shotgun maybe

 

Should be a minimum of 16 I would even go more 17/18

 

I am always amazed that some perceive a danger that is not there. Please quote me one instance of where an under 16 fac holder has been of concern to firearms licensing.

Bearing in mind that youngsters must go through the same vigorous fac application process as adults with additional references required from their schools, I fail to understand why the young should be precluded from using firearms. Most of the boys in our village grew up using firearms from an early age and all used them responsibly. As I have mentioned before on other threads, I used to cycle to school with my shotgun tied to the crossbar so I could pot a few rabbits on the way home, as did other boys. Never once was there a problem

 

Having a fac instills responsibility in young people and I'm pleased that the government appreciate the fact, hence the provision in the firearms act.

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There is a danger there for all of us when using a rifle a mature adult can make a mistake

 

I think 14 is to young for anyone to be going out un supervised

 

I don't know of any instances involving a 14 or 15 year old but that could be down to not many kids that age holding FACs or not being allowed out alone with the rifle

Edited by castletyne
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By the way i never mentioned my son shooting unsupervised,the purpose of acquiring FAC/SGC is purely to get the paperwork out the way, before the inevitable licencing changes.In fact if we want to discuss shooting alone my personal opinion is that no one should shoot alone regardless of age.When i go out i always take someone to op lamps & pick up.

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But it's still a little scary to think a 14 year can be running around with a rifle, unsupervised.

 

I appreciate that you don't like the comparison, but 17 year olds tearing around the roads, with modified cars, which render their insurance invalid, scare me far more.

 

Whatever point you want to make - the law is the law.

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