Following a meeting with the GTA regarding firearms licensing delays, temporary permits and the impact on registered firearms dealers, T/Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roche speaks exclusively to Gun Trade Insider about the changes already under way, rebuilding confidence and why he believes Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Firearms Licensing is turning a corner.
Gun Trade Insider (GTI): BCH Firearms Licensing has faced criticism from certificate holders and registered firearms dealers over delays and service levels. From your perspective, what are the main factors that led to the current position and what has changed/are you looking to change?
T/Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roche (JR): The challenges experienced by certificate holders and registered firearms dealers developed over time as demand for the service grew beyond the capability and capacity of the department. To address this, the service has been reviewed, processes have been streamlined and additional officers and staff have been brought into the licensing team.
Our aim is to create a more sustainable service, less reliant on a five-year renewal cycle, that can better meet demand and improve the experience for current and future licence holders whilst maintaining the rigorous checks that are essential to public safety.
GTI: One of the biggest concerns raised by dealers has been the impact of licensing delays on their businesses, including reduced sales, increased demand for storage and uncertainty around temporary permits. How do you respond to those concerns, and what steps are being taken to reduce the commercial impact on the trade?
JR: We recognise the concerns raised by registered firearms dealers regarding the impact that licensing delays have had on their businesses. We understand that delays can affect sales, create uncertainty for customers and increase pressures around the storage of firearms while applications are being processed. We appreciate that these challenges have had a genuine commercial impact on some businesses and do not underestimate the frustration this has caused. Addressing these issues and improving processing times has therefore been a key priority for the department.
To improve the service, we have been working closely with the College of Policing and some of the best performing licensing departments across the country.
We have started using new and existing technology in better ways and we have worked to implement all the recommendations from the Inspectorate. As a result, licence holders are already seeing the difference. Over the last few months, we have halved the number of temporary permits and drastically improved processing times.
The improvements we have made to staffing levels and ways of working are already resulting in faster turnaround times and we hope this is beginning to reduce some of the pressure on dealers and their customers. While we know there is still more work to do, the progress we are seeing should help provide greater certainty and reduce delays across the system.
Through our continued engagement with the Gun Trade Association and registered firearms dealers, we want to better understand the challenges facing the trade and ensure that, where possible, our improvements help minimise disruption to businesses while maintaining the robust checks that are essential to public safety.
GTI: During the recent meeting with the Gun Trade Association, BCH apologised for its previous performance and outlined a programme of improvements. What are the key measures already in place, and when should dealers and certificate holders expect to see a noticeable improvement in processing times?
JR: People who submitted applications during 2026 should hopefully already be noticing a significant improvement.
Since the HMICFRS inspection, the department has delivered a comprehensive programme of improvement across firearms licensing to strengthen governance, consistency and public safety.
All firearms licensing policies and procedures have been reviewed and updated in line with statutory guidance. Our process has been refreshed to ensure all licensing decisions are made by appropriately authorised officers, supported by enhanced quality assurance processes, stronger senior leadership oversight and a new governance framework aligned to national Authorised Professional Practice.
Significant investment has also been made in performance management, resources and technology. The department now benefits from enhanced performance dashboards providing real-time oversight of demand, performance and risk, enabling managers to prioritise applications and renewals more effectively.
Additional funding has supported a substantial workforce uplift, the recruitment of new staff, improved accommodation across BCH and the development of new digital solutions to streamline processes and reduce administrative burden.
Dedicated teams have also been established to tackle backlog reduction whilst maintaining service delivery for new applications.
While there is still more work to do, the improvements already in place are delivering results and our focus remains on providing a safer, faster and more consistent service for certificate holders and registered firearms dealers.
GTI: Communication has been a recurring frustration for both applicants and dealers. How is BCH improving transparency, keeping applicants informed of progress and ensuring registered firearms dealers have access to clear and consistent information when issues arise?
JR: We recognise that communication has been a source of frustration for some applicants and registered firearms dealers, and improving this is a key part of our wider improvement programme.
We have introduced a dedicated telephone line for the public, which is available Monday to Friday between 10am and midday. The line is intended for urgent or unusual enquiries and provides another way for people to contact the department when they need support. To help us process applications as efficiently as possible, it is not intended for routine application-chasing enquiries. The number can be found on your local force website.
We are also trialling a new system that will provide text message updates to applicants as their application progresses through various stages of the licencing process. For example, applicants will be notified when we receive their application, their suitability is reviewed, it is passed to a Firearms Officer and so forth. We hope this will give customers greater visibility and reassurance about the progress of their application.
In addition, we continue to share information with the shooting community through regular newsletters and quarterly Independent Advisory Groups. These include updates on legislation changes, guidance and other issues affecting certificate holders and dealers.
The newsletters and meeting minutes are now being published quarterly and are available on the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire force websites, helping to ensure that important information is clear, consistent and accessible to all.
GTI: The meeting resulted in several joint commitments between BCH and the Gun Trade Association, including a dealers’ meeting, GTA representation on the Independent Advisory Group and a joint action plan following the forthcoming HMICFRS inspection. How important do you see this partnership with the trade, and what do you hope it will achieve?
JR: This partnership is extremely important to us. We recognise that registered firearms dealers and certificate holders have been directly affected by the delays and challenges experienced by the service, so it is right that we listen to their feedback and welcome constructive scrutiny.
We also value the support of the Gun Trade Association and the wider trade in helping us communicate with the shooting community. By working together, we can ensure people receive accurate information about the latest developments in firearms licensing and better understand the improvements that are being made.
The Independent Advisory Group provides another important forum for open and honest discussion. It will give members an opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and receive direct answers from the firearms licensing team. It also allows us to be transparent about the steps we are taking to improve the service and the reasons behind our operational decisions.
The group provides a valuable opportunity for engagement, challenge and greater understanding on both sides. Our hope is that by building stronger relationships with the trade and the shooting community, we can increase trust, improve communication and continue making positive changes to the service.
GTI: Finally, what message would you like to give to registered firearms dealers and certificate holders across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire who have understandably lost confidence in the licensing system, and how will BCH measure success over the next 12 months?
JR: I would like to thank registered firearms dealers and certificate holders for their patience. We hear the frustrations that have been expressed and we completely understand why some people have lost confidence in the service.
We are sorry that performance fell below the standards that people rightly expect. While there was no single cause, it is clear that the service was not equipped to deal with the level of demand it faced and the impact of that was felt by our community.
We have now put additional resources in place and introduced new ways of working and we are already seeing positive results. We hope that many people will already be noticing a difference in the speed and consistency of the service they receive.
All three forces remain fully committed to improving firearms licensing and doing everything we can to rectify the situation. We know that rebuilding confidence will take time and that trust is earned through results rather than words, so we would ask people to continue bearing with us as those improvements continue to take effect.
Over the next 12 months, we will measure our success by the service we deliver. A key indicator will be our turnaround times for grants, renewals and other applications, as well as our ability to maintain those improvements over the long term. Ultimately, our goal is to provide a firearms licensing service that is timely, consistent and transparent, while continuing to meet the high standards of public safety that the public expects.