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Hampshire Police apologise over firearms licence renewals

Hampshire Police Firearms Licensing Department has apologised to certificate holders for delays in issuing firearms licence renewals after BBC Radio Solent drew attention to a backlog of 13,000 certificates last year, causing delays of up to five months.

Firearms licence renewals.
On the Julian Clegg show on 17 January, chief superintendent, Ann Wakefield, explained that the department had managed to work through its backlog of renewals.

She told Shooting Times magazine: “Extra staff were brought in temporarily to clear the backlog, which is now clear. Measures are being implemented to ensure we do not find ourselves in the same situation again.”

Mike Eveleigh, BASC’s senior firearms officer, was also interviewed on the show.

He said: “It is very rare to hear such a public apology from the police. It is greatly to their credit that they have taken such an honest and brave step in admitting that there were failings and unnecessary delays in the licensing service in Hampshire.”