Shotgun certificate and speeding.

Shotgun certificate and speeding.

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Eleven

Original Poster:

27,539 posts

228 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all

My five-year shotgun certificate renewal inspection today.

This time round I was asked a long list of questions about how much I drink, whether I've ever hit a policeman, whether I've ever thought about killing myself. I was told that I didn't have to answer these questions but the police may consider me uncooperative if I didn't. I initially declined on the basis of privacy, but then relented so as not to be a pain in the arse for the poor chap.

However we then came onto the matter of criminal prosecutions. I said I'd had a few speeding convictions over several decades of driving and he said, "yes, one was 92 mph on the motorway. We consider you a more risky shotgun holder because of it. If you're prepared to take risks like that you might be prepared to take risks with a gun".

I must say I was a little surprised by the intrusiveness of the questions and the lecture.

robinessex

11,287 posts

187 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Sounds like a PC with an inflated ego to me.

ging84

9,275 posts

152 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
how long ago was the conviction you told him about?

anonymous-user

60 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
I suppose that you could have said "I have never hit a policeman but I think that I might be just about to". On second thoughts, maybe not.

corporalsparrow

403 posts

186 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Isn't this that new amendment that means they have to try and establish whether you're likely to go bonkers in the future?

It's all absurd.

mph1977

12,467 posts

174 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
what you have to remember is that for a shotgun certificate there is a presumption to issue however the Firearms licencing bods have to undertake a risk assessment.

the risk assessments seem to work on the same basis as the documented assertion that stopping vehicles which flag up on ANPR for 'adminstrative' reasons like insurance and MoT can often reveal other criminality.

if someone is consistantly running with a number of points of their driving licence for things like speeding it perhaps indicates that they have a less developed sense of risk management,

however for a FAC there is a presumption that the applicant has to prove themselves suitable

papa3

1,443 posts

193 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
I had similar questions a long while back when renewing my Sec 1. I answered honestly, including questions about road traffic matters from many years before. The cop told me later that part of it is to establish honesty, they know what you have and want to compare your answers.

Eleven

Original Poster:

27,539 posts

228 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
ging84 said:
how long ago was the conviction you told him about?
I didn't tell him, he'd got the information with him. It was last year, prior to which my licence had been clean for 5 years or so.


anonymous-user

60 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
I think it's right.

Anyone who is so reckless as to break a speed limit is clearly at risk of running amok with a shotgun! laugh

robinessex

11,287 posts

187 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Did you tell him you use speed cameras for target practice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SK425

1,034 posts

155 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Breadvan72 said:
I suppose that you could have said "I have never hit a policeman but I think that I might be just about to". On second thoughts, maybe not.
I agree. Better to keep schtum on that. After all he might be about to let you have a gun, and then you'd be able to shoot him.

barwea

123 posts

179 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
SK425 said:
Breadvan72 said:
I suppose that you could have said "I have never hit a policeman but I think that I might be just about to". On second thoughts, maybe not.
I agree. Better to keep schtum on that. After all he might be about to let you have a gun, and then you'd be able to shoot him.
laugh

anonymous-user

60 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
I am liking this plan.

jshell

11,306 posts

211 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
This topic came up a few years ago. When I last renewed FAC & SGC I was told that speeding offences point to a certain 'attitude', and too many speeding offences would count against renewal. Not necessarily prevent renewal, but would be taken into consideration.

Eleven

Original Poster:

27,539 posts

228 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
jshell said:
This topic came up a few years ago. When I last renewed FAC & SGC I was told that speeding offences point to a certain 'attitude', and too many speeding offences would count against renewal. Not necessarily prevent renewal, but would be taken into consideration.
I Googled it afterwards and found an article about some chap in Scotland who got refused renewal based on multiple motoring offences. He appealed unsuccessfully.


Jasandjules

70,474 posts

235 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
jshell said:
This topic came up a few years ago. When I last renewed FAC & SGC I was told that speeding offences point to a certain 'attitude', and too many speeding offences would count against renewal. Not necessarily prevent renewal, but would be taken into consideration.
Presumably no armed police ever exceed a speed limit then........

mph1977

12,467 posts

174 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
jshell said:
This topic came up a few years ago. When I last renewed FAC & SGC I was told that speeding offences point to a certain 'attitude', and too many speeding offences would count against renewal. Not necessarily prevent renewal, but would be taken into consideration.
Presumably no armed police ever exceed a speed limit then........
let's deal first with your dubious grip of jurisprudence, Police officers on duty have exemptions from various aspects of road traffic law.

Jasandjules

70,474 posts

235 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
mph1977 said:
let's deal first with your dubious grip of jurisprudence, Police officers on duty have exemptions from various aspects of road traffic law.
Let's stick to the "attitude" of exceeding a speed limit alongside the proposal that the same leads to a marked lack of care in respect of firearm control shall we?



vinnie01

863 posts

125 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Did you ask him him to provide what section of what act allows him to make that observation or did he claim F.L.O discretion?

The Moose

23,075 posts

215 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
mph1977 said:
Jasandjules said:
jshell said:
This topic came up a few years ago. When I last renewed FAC & SGC I was told that speeding offences point to a certain 'attitude', and too many speeding offences would count against renewal. Not necessarily prevent renewal, but would be taken into consideration.
Presumably no armed police ever exceed a speed limit then........
let's deal first with your dubious grip of jurisprudence, Police officers on duty have exemptions from various aspects of road traffic law.
Presumably no armed police ever exceed a speed limit whilst off duty?!