Already disgusted!

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Well I am astonished on how ridiculos Bristol police dept makes it for you to obtain a permit. I am new to shooting and have heard horror stries about Bristol. Long story short, took the nra class then went to get the application. At the front desk the officer says that you must make an appt to get fingerprinted, and the only time available is tues between 6-8pm and the first tues of the month between 12-2 pm. Ok I say to myself its may 16 now, how far off can it be? If i didnot take the first tues of june, i would have of been looking at june 16 for an evening appt after work. So I use a vacation day to get it done on the 2nd@ 130pm. The officer taking the appt asks for a phone # to contact in the event they need to reschedule. Gave my cell #. I arrive at the poilce dept today for my appt, and wait up front with three others waiting for fingerprints. After 20 min a officer shows his face behind the glass and asks what we are doing there. One in the group says " here for our fingerprinting appts". The officer was like "ooohhhh I have some bad news for you." " We have to rescedule". :banghead:WTF I waited and used time from work for some lazy pen pusher to blow me off!!!!!!!! Very pissed! Rescheduled june23 God damn ridiculos!!!!! Why did they not call so I did not have to use a day @ work!!?? Isnt that why they took my #!!?!?! WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!

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Bristol is a dump. Move out of there while home prices are still down.

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Bristol sounds like a breeze compared to Stratford. They do 3 fingerprint appointments a week! They are pushing people out for months waiting to get prints and submit your paperwork to start the waiting (months) for approval.

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Bristol does 4 appts a week so we are in the same boat. Completely absurd!!! Are most people in the police station qualified to take fingerprints and file paperwork? Being rescheduled isnt making me as mad as the fact of they took my cell # to inform of needing to be rescheduled, didnt use it and I completely wasted a paid day from work. Then to top it off....wait another f---ing 3 weeks!!! So all stay tuned and lets see how long it takes the new guy to get his permit in Bristol.

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This is something CCDL needs to work on once we are up to speed. We need to find a friendly legislator who can sponsor a bill affixing a time limit to how long a local police department can delay an applicant for fingerprinting. If the appointment cannot be scheduled within 1 month then the applicant can then go to the State Police and have it done and the town has then forefieted any right to judge the suitability of the candidate it will fall on the shoulders of the CSP and if they find no cause to believe the candidate is a prohibited person they issue the state permit.

The background check should also be completed within 3 weeks else the permit is granted with the option to revoke IF the background check comes back with harmful information on it.

It's ludicrous to make people wait months to do what should take 30 mins total time to do.

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Wow. Southington has appointments as well but if you don't mind waiting, they will pull an officer off the street for you.

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I moved out here in October, took the class in November, talked to the New Britain PD in November for an appointment, just got my permit in May.

A side note about Southington, I was recently pulled over there for talking on my cell phone. The officer asked why I still had Iowa plates, told him I just moved out here. He asked how I like CT, I told him I was indifferent... The officer said, Yeah, you can't talk on your cell phone up here, went on about taxes being too high, etc... He ended with "Connecticut sucks."

He just gave me a warning and told me I was lucky I might be headed back to Iowa in October.

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Sec. 29-28a. Application for permit. Notice of decision to applicant. (a) Requests for temporary state permits under section 29-28 shall be submitted to the chief of police, or, where there is no chief of police, to the warden of the borough or the first selectman of the town, as the case may be, on application forms prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Upon written request by any person for a temporary state permit not on a prescribed application form, or upon request by any person for such application form, the local authority shall supply such forms. When any such request is made in person at the office of the local authority, the local authority shall supply such application form immediately. When any such request is made in any other manner, the local authority shall supply such application form not later than one week after receiving such request. If such application form is not supplied within the time limits required by this section, the request therefor shall constitute a sufficient application. If any local authority fails to supply an application form upon the request of any person, such person may request an application form from the Commissioner of Public Safety or any barracks of the Division of State Police, and the time limits and procedures set forth in this section for handling requests for such forms shall be applicable.

(b) The local authority shall, not later than eight weeks after a sufficient application for a temporary state permit has been made, inform the applicant that such applicant's request for a temporary state permit has been approved or denied. The local authority shall forward a copy of the application indicating approval or denial of the temporary state permit to the Commissioner of Public Safety. If the local authority has denied the application for a temporary state permit, no state permit may be issued. The commissioner shall, not later than eight weeks after receiving an application indicating approval from the local authority, inform the applicant in writing that the applicant's application for a state permit has been approved or denied, or that the results of the national criminal history records check have not been received. If grounds for denial become known after a temporary state permit has been obtained, the temporary state permit shall be immediately revoked pursuant to section 29-32.

Sec. 29-29. Information concerning criminal records of applicants for permits. (a) No temporary state permit for carrying any pistol or revolver shall be issued under the provisions of section 29-28 unless the applicant for such permit gives to the local authority, upon its request, full information concerning the applicant's criminal record. The local authority shall require the applicant to submit to state and national criminal history records checks. The local authority shall take a full description of such applicant and make an investigation concerning the applicant's suitability to carry any such weapons.

(b) The local authority shall take the fingerprints of such applicant or conduct any other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, unless the local authority determines that the fingerprints of such applicant have been previously taken and the applicant's identity established, and such applicant presents identification that the local authority verifies as valid. The local authority shall record the date the fingerprints were taken in the applicant's file and, within five business days of such date, shall forward such fingerprints or other positive identifying information to the State Police Bureau of Identification which shall conduct criminal history records checks in accordance with section 29-17a.

FINGERPRINTS MAY NOT BE MANDATORY FOR PISTOL PERMIT APPLICATIONS!

The process for obtaining the required State and National Criminal History Records ChecksDOES NOT mandate or require that a set of fingerprints to be taken, completed or submitted.

What the lawdoes require is that the applicant'sIDENTITYbe positively established and verified by methods of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Connecticut Bureau of Identification and the Federal Bureau of Identification as a matter of policy, routinely accept various government issued documents and photo ID cards to make or establishPOSITIVE IDENTIFICATION of individuals.





[align=left]Suggestions:[/align]
1. Pick up the Pistol Permit application, (There is currently a newversion since Feb of 2009). fill it in, and submit it to your local issuing authority along with any necessary supporting documents, either in person or (preferably)by certified mail return receipt requested.


2. If you have been previously fingerprinted for any reason such as military service, professional license etc. and the fingerprints were submitted to the State or Federal Government, NO NEW FINGERPRINTS are required. Save yourself the money.

3. If the local issuing authority is unable or unwilling to take your fingerprints in a timely manner,ask the local Police Department for a letter authorizing you to have your fingerprints taken by the State Police at their headquarters in Middletown.

4. Regardless of what happens with your attempt to be fingerprinted, submit your completed standard permit application together withone or more rock solid forms of POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION to thelocal issuing authority.

The local issuing authoritymust acceptyour application.

Obtain some type of verification of the date and time that the application was submitted.

If after eight weeks from the time you submit the standard application you do not receive notice of a decision, go to the nearest State Police facility with the verification that you submitted a standard application and submit one to them them.

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Thanks for the research so far Ed, but once the fingerprints were done (in Stratford) I had my town permit within the prescribed time (and got the state one as quickly as it took me to drive from Stratford PD to Troop G in Bridgeport).

The way Stratford is shafting prospective permit holders is scheduling 3 permit sessions (1 person only) per week therefore 12 fingerprinting sessions are available per month! The backlog now is horrendous and that specific delay doesn't seem to be covered in the statutes.

There needs to be one more section in the statutes outlining that "upon notice that an applicant wishes to be fingerprinted and have their background check interview scheduled the town authority has 30 days to schedule such an appointment. If the town is unable to schedule such an appointment within that time the applicant is then duly authorized to obtain such a check at any CSP barrack during normal working hours" or something like that. Either that or "if the town cannot schedule such an appointment then the town shall issue a permit to the applicant and schedule the fingerprint and background check at a later time agreeable to the applicant" That would make them a bit more responsive.

If the town can't pull their finger out and get a simple 10 mins fingerprint card session done as well as type in a name on the computer and look for wants and warrants to come back - then they don't deserve to have any say in the matter.

Robert

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BEAT THEM AT THEIR OWN GAME!!



THE SECTIONS OF CONNECTICUT LAW WHICH ESTABLISH THE PROCESS FOR OBTAINING AN ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE TO PURCHASE A PISTOL OR REVOLVER, ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS FOR OBTAINING A PERMIT TO CARRY.

THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENCEIS THAT THE APPLICATION FOR THE ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE IS MADE EXCLUSIVELY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY/STATE POLICE.

DURING THE PROCESS OF MAKING ANAPPLICATION FOR AN ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE, FINGERPRINTS WILL BE TAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY/STATE POLICE.

ONCE THEAPPLICANT'S FINGERPRINTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND ARE ON FILE WITHTHE STATE POLICE, THE PERMIT TO CARRY APPLICANT WILL BEEXEMPT FROM ANY LOCAL REQUIREMENT OR REQUESTTOSUBMITANOTHER ADDITIONAL SET OF FINGERPRINTS AS PART OF THELOCAL TEMPORARY STATE PERMIT TO CARRY APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH A LOCAL ISSUING AUTHORITY!

IF YOU DO GET YOUR FINGERPRINTS TAKEN BY THE STATE POLICE AS PART OF THE ELIGIBILITY PERMIT PROCESS, MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF THE FINGERPRINTS AND A RECEIPT FOR HAVING THEM TAKEN.

The receipt for having your fingerprints taken by the State Police and/or a photocopy of the completed fingerprint card taken by the State Police should be enough to prevent any local issuing authority from subjecting an applicant to the delay and expense of having them taken again.



Controlling Connecticut General Statutes:

Sec. 29-36f. Eligibility certificate for pistol or revolver. (a) Any person who is twenty-one years of age or older may apply to the Commissioner of Public Safety for an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver.

(b) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall issue an eligibility certificate unless said commissioner finds that the applicant: (1) Has failed to successfully complete a course approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety in the safety and use of pistols and revolvers including, but not limited to, a safety or training course in the use of pistols and revolvers available to the public offered by a law enforcement agency, a private or public educational institution or a firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Environmental Protection and a safety or training course in the use of pistols or revolvers conducted by an instructor certified by the state or the National Rifle Association; (2) has been convicted of a felony or of a violation of subsection (c) of section 21a-279, section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d; (3) has been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section 46b-120; (4) has been discharged from custody within the preceding twenty years after having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to section 53a-13; (5) has been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding twelve months by order of a probate court; (6) is subject to a restraining or protective order issued by a court in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person; (7) is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to subsection (d) of section 29-38c after notice and hearing, or (8) is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States.

Sec. 29-36g. Application for eligibility certificate. Criminal history records check. Deadline for approval or denial of application. Form of certificate. Change of address. Confidentiality of name and address of certificate holder. Scope of certificate. (a) Requests for eligibility certificates under section 29-36f shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Safety on application forms prescribed by the commissioner. No eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be issued under the provisions of said section unless the applicant for such certificate gives to the Commissioner of Public Safety, upon the commissioner's request, full information concerning the applicant's criminal record and relevant information concerning the applicant's mental health history. The commissioner shall require each applicant to submit to state and national criminal history records checks. The commissioner shall take a full description of such applicant. The commissioner shall take the fingerprints of such applicant or conduct any other method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The commissioner shall record the date the fingerprints were taken in the applicant's file and shall conduct criminal history records checks in accordance with section 29-17a. The commissioner shall, within sixty days of receipt of the national criminal history records check from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, either approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate or deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing.

(b) With respect to any application for an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Public Safety on or before July 1, 1995, the commissioner shall, not later than October 1, 1995, (1) approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate, (2) issue a temporary eligibility certificate or (3) deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing. With respect to any application for an eligibility certificate filed with the Commissioner of Public Safety after July 1, 1995, the commissioner shall, within ninety days, (1) approve the application and issue the eligibility certificate, (2) issue a temporary eligibility certificate or (3) deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing. A temporary certificate issued under this subsection shall be valid until such time as the commissioner either approves or denies the application.

(c) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall be of such form and content as the commissioner may prescribe, shall be signed by the certificate holder and shall contain an identification number, the name, address, place and date of birth, height, weight and eye color of the certificate holder and a full-face photograph of the certificate holder.

(d) A person holding an eligibility certificate issued by the commissioner shall notify the commissioner within two business days of any change of his address. The notification shall include his old address and his new address.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1-210 and 1-211, the name and address of a person issued an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver under the provisions of section 29-36f shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, except (1) such information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials acting in the performance of their duties, (2) the Commissioner of Public Safety may disclose such information to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33 for verification that such certificate is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked, and (3) such information may be disclosed to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of subsection (c) of section 17a-500.

(f) An eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver shall not authorize the holder thereof to carry a pistol or revolver upon his person in circumstances for which a permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28 is required under section 29-35.

CONCLUSION:

POSSESSION OF AN ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY MAY NOT ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL TO CARRY, BUT WILL DEFINITELY BE EVIDENCE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AND PASSED THE REQUIRED BACKGROUND CHECK FOR PURPOSES OF MAKING APPLICATIONS FOR A PERMIT TO CARRY.

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Ed, that's just brilliant!

So, for those that are in a holding pattern over Stratford awaiting their fingerprint appointment the answer may be here all along:

1. Apply to the DPS for a certificate of eligibility.
2. Get your fingerprints taken and get copies and a receipt for them
3. Call the local issuing authority and say "I don't need a fingerprint card done, I've already had that done I just need to submit my completed application and don't expect to wait for an appointment"

Assuming they ration the detectives time to take the fingerprints, you've taken that time constraint out of their arsenal of delaying tactics.

Very interesting.

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It's even better than that.

First, you are correct in the process of applying for an eligibilty permit first.

I just got off the phone with DPS and they confirm that they take an applicants fingerprints electronically. (There may be exceptions)

This amounts to an instant fingerprint based criminal history background check. Hard copy rolled print cards need to be submitted, classified to deterine the fingerprint classification which is entered to see if there is any criminal history or current outsanding issues.

The person on the phone believes that the turn around time to get DPS approval of an eligibility certificate/permit is approximately 2 weeks.

Once you have the eligibility certificate, why would a local PD go to the trouble and expense in man hours to repeat a criminal history background check?

Again, beat them at their own game.

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My wife just went through this in Stratford. When she complained to the Chief about how she could get her prints taken at the State police (for a small fee) and turn them in. She was told that it wouldnt speed the process up any.

They do not actually assign a cop to do your background check until the time of your appointment.

He even went as far to state that her paperwork could even get lost just sitting around waiting for her appointment date.

So they are really just NOT processing anything unless it is on their timeframe.

The CCDL must address these kind of issues for all cities and towns in CT

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THE LOVER wrote:

My wife just went through this in Stratford. When she complained to the Chief about how she could get her prints taken at the State police (for a small fee) and turn them in. She was told that it wouldn't speed the process up any.

They do not actually assign a cop to do your background check until the time of your appointment.

He even went as far to state that her paperwork could even get lost just sitting around waiting for her appointment date.

So they are really just NOT processing anything unless it is on their time frame.

The CCDL must address these kind of issues for all cities and towns in CT

Click to expand...

Let's look at this situation one piece at a time.

Ok, the Chief says that it wouldn't speed up the process. Take the issue to the Stratford City Council or the manager of the community and make the case that police services are being delayed without reason.

The issue of not assigning an officer to do the background check until an appointment date would be another issue that might be brought to higher authority, due in part to the fact that if an Eligibility Certificate was recently issued by the State Police, very little local police resources would be required to do a complete background check.

The best part of your post is the Chief's belief that the paperwork might get lost while sitting around waiting for an appointment date. ALL permit applications and the supporting documents submitted to a state or local agency are public records, the preservation and custody of which are strictly controlled by the Public Records Custodian who is located in the Supreme Court building in Hartford.

What most people don't know is that the State OWNS all public records, regardless of whether they are state or local records.

I really don't believe that a public official or Chief of Police wants to be cited or arrested for failure to properly preserve and protect public records. The Public Records Administrator controls ALL public records in the State of Connecticut.

My suggestion of getting an Eligibility Certificate first may sound crazy, but you must lay a good foundation before you build a house.

These delays and excuses cannot continue if everyone who experiences them makes the facts known.

Submit all documents via certified mail return receipt requested and if we have the evidence of undo delays and excuses, together with the physical evidence to submit to anyone who may address the issues.

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Well all of this is great info, but wow this is friggin crazy! Gimme a break.... Still waiting for my appt june 23 but have a friend who is lazy and might not have evrything ready by his appt on jun 9. So if he doesnt he will gimme his date. If not its class on may19,1st appt june 2, 2nd appt june 23. Keep in mind went directly to station after class on may 19. Insane

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It's been almost two years since I got my permit. I don't recall having to make an appointment. I think they have designated times. Some of them were in the evening. You just had to walk in and get it done. I think they are open several hours a week, I think almost all bussiness days.

Complain to your town council.

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went to dps on lunch tues and got fingerprints done for $5 and submitted my app. forget your appts!!!!!!!! 4-6 weeks now!!! Thanks for all replys

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Update! On june 9th my friend and I submitted our paperwork at the same time. Today bristol pd called him and said come get it. 3weeks!! hope im not far off!!

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Ok, well its offical! 4 weeks and three days from entering paperwork, to getting call for temp pickup. Not to shabby!!! Remember f their appts, go to dps for fingerprints!! they have to accept it.

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Good for You after all the bull.