HDAV Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 My visit last year, 12mths after cert received, was rather amusing and a little worrying. FEO asked lots of silly stuff about safety eg do the shoots I'm involved in give safety talks? When I replied yes and no he got quite excited and wanted to know: - why 'yes' - this was because we regularly had guests and there were club rules stacked towards safety - why 'no' - this was be cause it was a bunch of guns who have shot together for many years and so far no one has died He just couldn't understand why we didn't have a half hour talk on safety everytime. Even when I pointed out that he, as an ex-armed copper, when he took a gun out this was with a view to shooting someone but when I got my gun out I did it with the express intention of doing the opposite. The next rather strange comment was 'when did I get my first gun?' - 51 years ago! 'Who bought it?' - my dad. 'Did he give me a talk on safety?' no he gave me a gun and told me to go kill a few starlings in the stack yard! By now SWMBO was audibly chuckling in the background. I tried another tack - as a motorist of 40+ years standing with an impeccable record I was granted a licence with no renewal or intervention for some 50 years which, even if I kill a couple of people (by accident), will not involve any sort of renewal let alone safety talk. Over 2000 people are killed on our roads with many thousand other injured whereas the number of shooting incidents by legally licences 'guns' can probably be counted on the fingers of one had so why am I getting this lecture........ No response. I was asked a few questions that seemed to defy reality "are you a member of the clay shoots you attend or do you only go when you get invited?" to which i replied "Er i just turn up pay and shoot when i can/fancy it" "how would you describe your drinking habits ?" ...... "do you own any airguns? where are they kept?" What this has to do with an SGC i am flumoxed " do you ever go rough or vermin shooting" Which i don't see how that has any bearing really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 Never been asked any of teh above on renewal and agree with the post Kes made 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daystate 177 Posted October 8, 2014 Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 After todays visit my feo said ill get renewal in 5 years and will then phone to check it over job done no visit required, was interesting chatting to him about his job and the such likes he meets from Jonny Rambo to the upper class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Reading some of the posts it seems there are a few common threads emerging. I was asked about where I stored my air rifle and I said " I dont" we dont get young visitors now my kids are adults and I like it where I can shoot the rabbits in the garden - its therefore by the bed. Told him the law as I knew it and he didnt comment further. Checking gun serial numbers is normal around here as 'unknown' guns turn up where poachers leave them in hedgerows and I think rural county police believe there are a number of unregistered weapons left over from pre SGC days. I suspect there is a default list of questions/things to check for FEO's for specific circumstances, like renewal, grant etc If so, this would be designed to implement policy as well as character checks. I suspect regulation of air rifles isnt far away and hope the shooting organisations have an eye on the possibility. I also get the impression that with changes to the FAC there will come subtle changes to guidance HO and Police FEO's alike. I think drinking will become more of a factor and the apres shoot pint will be regularly checked by police as new policy. Does anyone else get the impression that the police are looking for a 'sea change' ? I hope we are not all surprised when it comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenwolf Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 These sort of questions seems rather Orwellian, I get the feeling it's just an excuse to try and get your ticket pulled for something you might say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel100 Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Clearly, varies a lot from force to force ... and how busy they are plus, some forces assess the individual; new shooters get more attention, as do people who behave 'wrongly'. Sometimes, don't see them at all either for SGC or FAC renewal. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 interestingly the call was to the FEO mobile so not sure if it was recorded. I would expect these days for the call to be recorded but not sure how easy that is with a mobile and didn't get the "calls are recorded" prompt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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