Guns seized....again

[Polchraine]

Emailed the letter to Gwent Police and received this within half an hour:
"The letter can only confirm that you do not have any mental health impact at present and this can change very quickly.

Hopefully this will get resolved quickly - and in the right way.

That response though made me wonder: Why do they require a GPs letter at renewals if they only refer to you state a few days earlier?

[walesdave]

Update to the update:

Further response from Gwent Police to my request for return of my firearms:
"I am currently assisting with emails and the Inspector in charge of the dept.

The letter assists but whilst you are undergoing treatment you cannot be in possession for your own safety. However, we would not expect to wait the 5 years for the all clear, just that your treatment has ended and the status of your cancer.

Hope this helps and I do wish you the best of luck with your treatment. "

I've replied stating I'd like to get the decision re-reviewed:
"Hi
While I appreciate the public safety approach to licensing, your response goes 100% against what I was told by FEO Mr. XXXX when he removed my firearms; he even inserted ‘Temporary’ in the surrender form to show this was to be a short-term surrender – please see attached.
As a cancer diagnosis is not one of the required medical conditions to hold a FAC or SGC I would appreciate it if your decision could be passed up your line management for re-review, possibly with Mr XXXX’s input."


So Gwent Police have decided any cancer patients are high suicide risks during treatment; I find this not only WRONG (I'm 100% committed to my treatment) but insulting and potentially libellous. I wonder what they say to terminal patients who stop treatment as there's nothing left to do? I've got he Professional Standards complaint form open and ready to go for when they inevitably tell be to get lost.....

[ukrifleman]

The best of luck to you and I hope your treatment is 100% successful.
A pity that your local firearms dep't gave it some thought before piling yet more stress onto you.
ukrifleman

[MistAgain]

This is exactly the situation that our national bodies should be ready to offer their help to fight regardless of cost .

[walesdave]

Yep - final email from FEO Inspector - basically 'nope, no guns'.

Complaint already in to Gwent Professional Standards.

Just waiting for work call to finish and I'll be onto the local paper.....'Gwent Police automatically discriminate against cancer patients as suicide risk even though Doctor says 'no' ' is my take on it....

[Graham M]

Absolutely bloody disgraceful.

[BooBoo]

WalesDave - can I refer you back to my original post re an "invitation to surrender" v the benefits of forcing a revocation. The former is open ended and fully in the hands of the police. The latter takes control away from the police and has very set appeal timelines.

I may have missed this, but do you have any organizational cover, such as the NRA etc. who may fight your corner?

It is quite unusual to have a Uniform Inspector in charge of a Dept. Normally, they are headed up by civilian equivalents who refer all matters of risk to an overseeing Superintendent. Revocations can go to ACC for consideration, but Supers are the minimum rank for acceptance of force risk.

If you have legal cover... and you also have all of your medical ducks in a line then you may wish to force revocation. You could make the force look very silly in the box... and then also invite the court to award punitive damages for taking such a route contrary to supplied medical evidence. No court likes a heavy handed police approach, particularly one which causes distress in contravention of expert opinion. I seem to remember that D&C had to pay out a rather large amount over such an approach.

In view of other responses, it would appear that new guidance may have come down about serious illness and the possession of firearms. Does anyone have sight of this?

Again, I wish you well with your treatment...

[walesdave]

WalesDave - can I refer you back to my original post re an "invitation to surrender" v the benefits of forcing a revocation. The former is open ended and fully in the hands of the police. The latter takes control away from the police and has very set appeal timelines.

Thanks for the advice but I'm very wary of forcing a revocation as I rely on various security clearances for my job (IT freelancer) and having a revoked FAC might not look too good at my next vetting.

Irony is, my current end-client is the Met and on one work call today, Gwent Police were invited (didn't turn up though!).

[hitchphil]

Hi- Are you a member of NRA or NSRA? CPSA - if so pm me & I can give you the contacts for someone that can help.

If given enough detail in private (PM me), I can raise this in NRA General Council as an issue thats liable to affect members, that the organisation might wish to investigate & advise its members on. This is an emerging scenario, a few cases & it needs to be looked at.

My advice to anyone else in this predicament - is politely refuse voluntary surrender & refuse access to police to the house - unless they have a warrant & a formal letter of revocation, they can't force you to hand them over. Then move them to an RFD pronto before they come back!

My advice to all FAC holders is have an RFD on call who might come & take them vs police - especially if the FAC is for a club.

If they do arrive with a revocation letter & you can't get them to an RFD, they can take the barrel, action, moderator, firing mech & ammo / primers - my advice is for most rifles to strip the sights, wood, any fittings that are not licenced. Photograph them in detail, (if not already pictured for insurance), spray liberally with oil inside & out, & put them in a decent case with a label stating private property / name, address etc.

Best wishes for treatment.

Is there anyone else with direct experience of this? (pls not anecdotal).

[MistAgain]

In view of other responses, it would appear that new guidance may have come down about serious illness and the possession of firearms. Does anyone have sight of this?

Again, I wish you well with your treatment...

Sadly this is not due to any "new guidance" . Merseyside Police did exactly the same thing back round 2014/2015 to an FAC holder .

He was able to get the fireams returned , although I am not sure on what grounds .

Sadly he died in 2018 .

I was going to suggest that you complain to your Police and Crime Commisar , but check this out you may even be the lucky person .

Police and Crime Panel recruiting a new member
2nd March 2023

You have a couple of weeks to get your application in .

And good luck with your treatment .