The recent BASC article "Silence on Firearms Fees Speaks Volumes" highlights what many in the shooting community already knew all too well: the firearms licensing system is buckling under pressure, with growing backlogs leaving applicants in limbo for months on end.
The BASC's message was clear - the current firearms licensing service is under severe strain, public trust is eroding and the deafening silence from authorities only makes matters worse. Renewing a license may take six months, while new applications often take even longer. Each delay leaves someone concerned about their job or hobby, along with a licensing officer overwhelmed by paperwork.
What stood out in the BASC's article wasn't just the problems themselves, but the troubling silence surrounding them. While applicants and officers felt daily pain, meaningful change seemed forever stuck in committees and consultations.
We got a close look at what's really happening when we worked with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. Their situation is typical of what's happening across the country:
- A small team handling over 3,800 applications yearly.
- A backlog of 700+ applications growing by the day.
- Paper forms creating bottlenecks at every stage.
- Officers spending hours on admin that could be automated.
Rather than focusing on public safety assessments, the licensing team was occupied with copying data from emails into spreadsheets, chasing missing information and answering status update calls.
When Hampshire police reached out to firearms owners, the frustrations were clear and consistent:
"I had to take a day off work just to complete the form in one sitting because you can't save and come back to it."
"It's like sending your application into a black hole. You've no idea if it's been received, looked at, or when you might hear back."
"I've had the same licence for 20 years, but each renewal I have to start from scratch."
Officers found the situation equally challenging: "We care about getting these right, but we're constantly firefighting. The systems just don't support us."
Rather than waiting for a perfect nationwide solution, Hampshire took a practical approach by partnering with us and Salesforce to bring their vision to life. Building on digital foundations already in place, we collaborated closely with their officers and firearms owners to create a solution that genuinely addressed the challenges of both sides.
One of the first significant changes was adding a save-and-return option, allowing people to pause and return to their applications whenever needed. This feature was the most requested and made things much easier for everyone.
Next, we introduced a status tracking system that provided automatic updates at every application stage. This meant users could easily see how things were progressing, which removed uncertainty and worry.
To help with the paperwork, we created pre-filled renewal forms that used information already on file. This saved time and reduced mistakes, making the renewal process much smoother.
The team also embraced the digital age by allowing document uploads and electronic signatures. This eliminated the need for paper forms and made everything more straightforward for users.
Finally, we developed a dashboard for officers, giving them a clear view of their workload. This made it easier for staff to see their tasks and manage their time more effectively.
It wasn't revolutionary technology, just thoughtful application of digital tools to solve real problems. The results were immediate: officers could process straightforward applications faster, identify higher-risk cases earlier and communicate more effectively with applicants.
What's interesting about our collaborative approach with Hampshire is that we didn't wait for national reform. Together, we built something that works today but can adapt to tomorrow's requirements. The platform integrates with existing systems like Niche and the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS), and it's flexible enough to accommodate whatever replaces NFLMS in the future.
The BASC were right to sound the alarm. The firearms licensing system needs investment and reform. But our experience with Hampshire shows we don't need to wait for perfect national solutions before making meaningful improvements.
By listening carefully to both sides, focusing on practical improvements and leveraging flexible Salesforce technology, we've shown that it's possible to deliver better service today rather than wait for tomorrow.
For the shooting community who've felt increasingly ignored by the system and for the officers trying to maintain public safety with outdated tools, that's a small but significant step toward rebuilding trust.
Firearms licensing may have been slow to modernise, but the silence is finally breaking.
Watch our recent webinar to learn more about the firearms licensing solution powered by Salesforce.
