Police and Crime Commissioners respond to firearms licensing inspection report
Police and Crime Commissioners for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire have acknowledged serious failings in firearms licensing services following the publication of an inspection report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
Last updated 9th Jan 2026
In a joint statement, the commissioners said they fully accepted the findings of the report and welcomed the independent scrutiny, which they said was essential to holding police forces to account on behalf of the public.
They said the firearms licensing function had failed to provide an acceptable standard of service over a prolonged period due to “unacceptable systemic issues”, adding that licence holders and applicants had been “let down”.
The commissioners highlighted the impact on firearms licence holders, particularly in rural communities, and said the public was right to expect effective risk management in such a sensitive area of policing.
They confirmed they had been pressing for improvements through governance meetings with chief constables and via the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Strategic Board.
An extraordinary meeting of the BCH Strategic Board is due to take place on Monday, at which the three chief constables will present an action plan in response to the inspection. The commissioners said leadership, management and governance of the service had already been strengthened but acknowledged further work was needed.
The HMICFRS report concluded that a “step change” was required, including increased resources and major improvements in culture, leadership, timeliness, processes, communication and risk management.
The commissioners said they agreed with those conclusions and were committed to ensuring all recommendations were implemented quickly and robustly.
They added that they would seek assurances that the action plan fully addressed the inspectorate’s findings, particularly those related to risk, and said they would closely monitor progress and hold chief constables to account for improvements in performance and customer service.