Members of the shooting community have met with the Staffordshire Commissioner and senior police officers to discuss their experiences of the licence application process.
The meeting also saw representatives from firearms dealers and country sports business owners hear more about additional checks introduced following fatal shootings in Plymouth in 2021.
These include a requirement for a specific medical disclosure from the applicant’s GP, and social media checks to ensure applicants are not displaying any concerning behaviour online.
To meet these additional demands, Staffordshire Police’s firearms licensing team has grown from 17 to 27 staff, with the average time to process a firearms licence now between 44 and 68 days to allow for the necessary checks.
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams said:
“Firearms licensing supports agriculture and the leisure industries – both important contributors to the Staffordshire economy and to our rural communities.
“Delivering a safe, efficient and high-quality firearms licensing service not only ensures continuity for those businesses which rely upon legitimate firearms use but also, vitally, provides reassurance that the wider community is protected from any risks.
“The meeting was a good opportunity to talk openly about the progress Staffordshire Police is making to improve the licensing service, and the impact of regulatory change.
“Most importantly, it allowed myself, the licensing team and senior police officers to hear about the experiences of those actually using the service.”
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams
The meeting also covered a national consultation which could see an increased fee brought for a licence.
