Gloucestershire police

[troddenmasses]

I had a chat to our FEO yesterday, and he said that he would be out of a job by April. Apparently, a combination of cuts and a new Chief Constable have combined to remove specialist FEO's. It looks like from next April, they will be sending 'normal' officers around to do the work of FEO's. That should be interesting. I reckon that I give it 18 months before they go back to the old system - either because they get sued because they have decided not to authorise when they should have done, or the other way around. Interesting times.

[Blackstuff]

How section heads can't justify keeping staffing levels as they are in FLD's in the wake of Cumbria i don't know :shock: :evil:

[Dangermouse]

This is really scary and I hope not a sign of things to come.

I know that even in the firearms departments 99.9 % of officers have no idea about the practical implication of the laws surrounding firearms and the same number will never have actually handled anything outside of work.

(If you want to confuse a AFO ask him how he would make a fully charged Pneumatic air gun safe - I am still to hear a satisfactory answer, and as it happens would not know my self other to dry fire the gun empty)

In a previous life I was involved in Fire risk management and surveying for equipment. A constant pain at that time was that some councils were using Firemen who were sick / light duties to do their side of the process. This resulted in many interpretations of what was required from the dangerously slack to the way over the top. Depending on how much training they had, if any, and how old that training was, ie up to date.

I could see the Police doing the same.

I will be watching this one with interest,

DM

[Sim G]

This is unfortunately going to be the "cost" of the cuts. As most FEO's are support staff, ie civilians, they will be the first to lose their jobs. Constables will be expected to step into their work whether thats in control rooms, statement takers, or FEO's.

And as police officers leave the service and are not replaced, the pool of "staff" will also deminish spreading those available ever more thinly. In order to protect front line service, admin roles such as firearms administration will suffer........ One year for renewals/grants and variations? I don't think that sort of timeline is as far fetched as it sounds!

Personally, I've always supported the idea of one single police force taking responsibility for firearms administration for the whole country. Firstly, it would prevent the anomolies that crop up across forces and any further regulations can be rolled out probably easier. On top of which, the shooting community would only have to deal with a single force when contention arose.

Which force? One of two in my opinion. We actually have three "national" police forces in the UK, BTP, MoD police and CNC. Of these three, MoD and CNC are actually an "armed" force with all of their officers trained AFO's. They have a national infrastructure and one big advantage there is that they would no doubt not treat firearms as some sort of talisman capable of action on their own......

[barney57]

This is really scary and I hope not a sign of things to come.

I know that even in the firearms departments 99.9 % of officers have no idea about the practical implication of the laws surrounding firearms and the same number will never have actually handled anything outside of work.

(If you want to confuse a AFO ask him how he would make a fully charged Pneumatic air gun safe - I am still to hear a satisfactory answer, and as it happens would not know my self other to dry fire the gun empty)

In a previous life I was involved in Fire risk management and surveying for equipment. A constant pain at that time was that some councils were using Firemen who were sick / light duties to do their side of the process. This resulted in many interpretations of what was required from the dangerously slack to the way over the top. Depending on how much training they had, if any, and how old that training was, ie up to date.

I could see the Police doing the same.

I will be watching this one with interest,

DM

Yep going full circle aint it Sim,,, back to like it was years ago,,,Coppers in Offices rather than on the streets,,,,,HANG ON A MINIUTE I'VE JUST HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA,,,why dont we put all the Coppers out on the streets doing Police type things and Police work,, and then get Civilians in to do the more mundane sort of stuff like comms operators, Custody Staff, Front Office staff, Clerks etc, etc, do you think it would work?????? has it been done before I wonder????? Hmmm memo to....Dear Sir,,,,,,,,,,,,, :? :? :? :? :? :?

[Robin128]

If your ticket is due for renewal in next 6 months I'd ring FEO early in new year and ask if they can take an early application to renew, to make their lives a bit easier, say same time as you want a varaition.

Get it in early or join the waiting list after FEOs are on the street.

Rob

[Polchraine]

But FEOs actually bring money in ... they are not a significant cost to teh system.

[Sim G]

Not so. ACPO stated some time ago for the licensing system to pay for itself, each FAC/SGC would have to cost around £250 for a grant or renewal and 75 quid for a variation........

[Sim G]

Yep going full circle aint it Sim,,, back to like it was years ago,,,Coppers in Offices rather than on the streets,,,,,HANG ON A MINIUTE I'VE JUST HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA,,,why dont we put all the Coppers out on the streets doing Police type things and Police work,, and then get Civilians in to do the more mundane sort of stuff like comms operators, Custody Staff, Front Office staff, Clerks etc, etc, do you think it would work?????? has it been done before I wonder????? Hmmm memo to....Dear Sir,,,,,,,,,,,,, :? :? :? :? :? :?

Barney, there's just not the money, mate. Things really are going to become really difficult and I cannot see how we will be able to give the full service that the public expect.....

[Robin128]

Why don't we have an independent review on FAC fees and charge an adequate break even fee?

FEO dept self financing?

Rob