Paranoia ?

Heckler

I was in my local station to hand in a renewal form for a cert. Small foyer where you ring a bell and a sliding window opens.

As I was waiting someone else came in behind me, rang the bell and waited.

After a couple of minutes the window opened and being mindful of someone behind me I just said I have a renewal form, not referencing firearms.

He went on to look at the form and in front of this other person confirmed my address (not a house number but a small area) and say he would pass

it on to the Sgt. in charge of firearms.

Now this fella behind me could have been there to get a passport stamped for all I know.

What I do know is with what he heard and maybe seeing my car as I left he could easily identify my house where there are firearms.

Like myself there are many innocent reasons for visiting a Garda station but also some not so.

Seems lax to me. The Guard shouldn't have referenced my address in relation to firearms in front of another person in my opinion.

Thoughts ?

slipperyox

A game of probability. 1 in a million anything bad will happen.

Most stations have a sign offering a more discrete counter.

Grizzly 45

Unavoidable betimes in small stations,but bad "situational awareness" from the Garda, said unthinkingly no doubt,but we all make mistakes.

Two ways to handle this. If there is one lad behind you like in your situation, be gallant and let him go ahead of you and let him do whatever he is there for and PO. If there is a que,just say "Dropping this in ...See ya!" and walk off . Always good if you can get your FO name and just say to the desk officer if there is a crowd in the station "This is for John Muggins, from Joe Bloggs...Ask him to call me if there is a problem, all the info is in there!" and walk out. It will dawn on the most rookie Garda that you weren't going to discuss this when there is a crowd of the regular customers in behind you if he opens the letter,or will just note it in the day book and put it in the FOs IN tray.

Wouldn't be too worried about this.99% of the time it's innocent. Just us being more aware of how to handle something like this knocks 1% risk off.

kunekunesika

Sure remember the annual renewal in the brown envelope. One per firearm. Every postman in the country knew which house had a firearm, and how many. So it's a bit better..

Grizzly 45

Ahhh ! The days of the big green paper cert.Valid for a year and drove every Garda station mad around mid-July,till about mid-December trying to get these things out.Gotta admit the 3 year job has made life a bit easier for all concerned.

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119630099#Comment_119630099

I remember one year they printed ' If undelivered, please return to Firearms Section' in the top left side. Next door neighbour brought one of mine over to me as it had been misdelivered to him by the postman and said 'never knew you had a gun'

I'll say no more.....

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058263747/paranoia

Similar issue happened me in a gun dealership in Dublin. Every young fellah buying worms for bait heard my full address and how much ammo I was buying. They also left 'the book' open on the counter top for all to see. I spotted names and addresses of several people I knew without much effort.

Never went back and neither did anyone I know in this game. They shut up shop years ago and not before time. In fairness to my local station they have a good bit of cop-on and I mostly just leave the paperwork for the firearms guy. He's hardly ever there anyway.

delboythedub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058263747/paranoia

I still renew mine by post and no problems. Ialso enclose a photo copy of gun club membership , Insurance and Driving licence and never any issues

sfakiaman

I remember that after a local incident all licence holders had to bring their firearms to the local garda station. This was in a rural area and the line of men with guns was half way down the street.