NH License- Any other PD's ask this?

[caboose84]

Hello-

Went by my local PD and picked up the Resident pistol license form.

It is the standard state police form, but the local department has a sign in the lobby and added a letter to the permit asking applicants to have their references contact the police officer in charge of permits on Thursday evening between 5 and 9, and to include the phone number of references, as well as your own phone number. Per the letter "This is to simplify and expedite the application process".

Has anyone else seen this before?

 

[Tiktock]

I didnt have to do anything of the sort. I filled the one page form out, then 4 days later showed up with $10 and walked out with my license.

Maybe that PD always calls all references and does this as a way to make their life easier?

I don't even get the whole references thing. Isnt NH shall-issue, meaning if you aren't disqualified, you get licensed? What would a reference do to change that?

 

[Twigg]

Sounds like a page from the Massachusetts playbook.

Notify GONH

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Per the letter "This is to simplify and expedite the application process".

They are required by law to issue within 15 days unless they can find a statutory reason not to, so one can only assume this is a service they are offering to people so they can get their permit in less than that timeframe.

 

[strangenh]

The law is very clear that "No other forms shall be used by officials of cities and towns." Don't know how this "letter" would be seen in that light. Contact GONH or if you want to talk to an attorney directly, then contact Penny Dean.

 

[caboose84]

It seems awfully odd to me, thus why I ask if any other departments are doing this. When I was getting the form in the lobby the secretary asked if she could help, when I said I was getting a pistol permit application she said to make sure I include the reference's phone numbers...

The official form requires the name and mailing address of 3 references. The rear of the form explicitly states that if you are not prohibited under NH or federal law from possessing a firearm you are presumed to be a suitable person and the burden of proof for a denial is on the licensing entity. So if the PD does the check with the NHSP for purchasing a pistol and I come back clean there wouldn't be a need to even call a reference... and that's usually done in 15 minutes if I'm at Reilly's on a busy Saturday...

 

[KMaurer]

Maybe they just want you to help them contact your references more efficiently in hopes that they'll be able to find some excuse to deny you within the 15 day limit.

Ken

 

[caboose84]

Maybe they just want you to help them contact your references more efficiently in hopes that they'll be able to find some excuse to deny you within the 15 day limit.

Ken

Don't feed the paranoia

I was more annoyed by the "Have your references call us on Thursday evening"... what if my references work on Thursday night

 

[Kicker96FS]

I got my non-res in less than a month and they did not call any of the references I put down.

Sounds like an anti is in your town.

 

[ScottS]

Actually, they have 14 days, not 15, to issue or deny. Rumple up the letter, add the addresses of your references (it does not ask for phone number anywhere on the form), and turn it in. They have 14 days, and "I couldn't reach your references" is not reason for denial.

 

[Baystatesuks]

Since the sign asks you to have them call but does not require you to do so, just don't ask. If by statute, you have to get it within 15 days, and it is their job to check out your references (should they choose to do so), it may be best to forget conveniently what you see on the sign. I am unsure I even saw a sign, did you?

 

[Brin747]

That sounds like something somebody made up. I'd call GONH or the DA's office and ask them about it. My PD had my permit done in about 2 days and did not check with any of my references.

 

[Navy Moose]

Sounds like a page from the Massachusetts playbook.

Notify GONH

+1 on notifying Go NH. They're the NH equivalent of GOAL.

 

[soloman02]

MY PD didn't even contact my references by mail, and processed mine within about a week and a half. They processed my dads in 2 days. It is 14 days and I recommend sending the application via certified mail since that will give you an exact date that the PD received the application.

Anyone know if it is 14 days or 14 business days?

 

[caboose84]

An update- talked to Penny Dean of GONH this evening her suggestions-

Get the form directly from the State Police website and mail that in (certified, return receipt)

Tell my references they are under no obligation to talk to the police in any way if asked, if the PD sends them any letter to get a copy. If the officer calls them try to get a voice mail...

Forward the letter attached to the application to GONH, along with any other correspondence I get...

All good advice I intend to follow...

 

[VARCHAR2]

Maybe give them the phone number of GONH instead?

 

[40 caliber]

I received my License in 10 days. My references received their letters the next day. (after I got my permit)

 

[ScottS]

My wife received her license in one day, and I know her references weren't called, because I was one of them.

 

[edhead35]

Give them nothing extra, and copy what you send in, and send it certified with return receipt. Dont give them anything that isnt on the form

 

[caboose84]

Give them nothing extra, and copy what you send in, and send it certified with return receipt. Dont give them anything that isnt on the form

100% on that. Only phone number on it is my own. Sent certified today.... they'll have it Monday.

Might be interesting, my wife is my first reference, works at the school in town and knows more than half the cops, including the Chief and the Sgt who handles the licenses...

 

[usnma]

100% on that. Only phone number on it is my own. Sent certified today.... they'll have it Monday.

Might be interesting, my wife is my first reference, works at the school in town and knows more than half the cops, including the Chief and the Sgt who handles the licenses...

Just wondering, how did it turn out? Any hassles?

 

[06LemansC6]

Just reading this now. NH is shall issue, so there is no need to bend over backwards or provide anything that isn't on the form. This is the first I've heard of such a thing in NH. None of my references were contacted, and it took about 4 hours between the time I dropped the application off and when I received my P&R license.

 

[usnma]

I was a reference for a guy applying in Dover. The pd mailed me a questionaire. IIRC the questions were along the lines of "do you have any reason to believe this person uses illegal drugs" "abuses alcohol" "is a danger to himself or others" etc. etc. i checked no for each question and mailed it back...

 

[caboose84]

I haven't heard anything yet, they have had the application 3 weeks tomorrow. My neighbor who was one of my references got a call on the 23rd, he swung by to ask what it was about (he was at work when they called).

I will be calling in the am to ask politely WTF. It would appear my chief (or the licensing Sgt) is an anti, or a PITA.

Damn shame for NH.

Fixable though, the COP is elected in my town.

 

[06LemansC6]

Fixable though, the COP is elected in my town.

Most towns in NH the COP is an elected position. The selectmen can also issue P&R licenses. If you don't hear anything I'd go to the next selectmen meeting. Most meeting will ask if any residents have anything they would like addressed. I would inform the selectmen that the PD is not following the law by asking for additional information, and not issuing the license within the 14 days as required by NH state law.

 

[nhgreg]

It took me almost 6 weeks to get mine here in NH. I called after 21 days, and they told me that "they were real busy".... I told them politely that the law said 14 days, but how much pressure can you put on them?? I finally got it at the 6 week mark, minus 2 days if I recall. They did call all my references, and finally called to say that my license was ready.

We now have a new COP, so hopefully when I come up for renewal it'll be easier.

 

[TomH]

If NH is "shall issue" then what is the purpose of references? Shall issue simply means they do a background check, and if you pass they must issue, correct? Maybe I'm missing something here. If a reference told them you do illegal drugs, etc, why would that matter? It isn't a conviction, they'd have no basis to charge you, and they'd still have to issue the license as I see it.

 

[Zappa]

A buddy of mine moved up to NH several years ago. He applied for a gun permit and used me as one of his references. The CLEO wrote me a letter and asked me to reply to a few questions about my friends character. I replied as requested and he got his permit. Isn't this normal preceedure for NH residents?
However, on my own NH non resident permit, none of the listed references were contacted.
The NHSP have probably figured out that you're not likely to list a reference that'll bad mouth you.

 

[ScottS]

The statutory requirement is 14 days, no exceptions for "real busy" or if none of your references respond. Personally, if I received a questionaire from some CLEO, it would be the first thing in my shredder that morning.

For those of you who get the brush-off after 14 days, contact GO-NH at your earliest opportunity and get them involved. (I assume you're members, right?) I would also inform the town/PD that I'll be taking them to court, and that the town will be picking up the tab, and that once they've been informed that they're non-compliant with the law, the CLEO will be personally on the hook for the tab, not the town.

159:6-f Remedies. –
I. If any licensing entity or employee or member of the city council or board of selectmen, in violation of the provisions of this chapter, refuses to comply with this chapter, such entity or person shall be liable for reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in a lawsuit under this chapter to enforce the terms of this chapter, provided that the court finds that such lawsuit was necessary in order to obtain compliance with this chapter by the licensing authority. Fees shall not be awarded unless the court finds that the entity or person knew or should have known that the conduct engaged in was a violation of this chapter or when the parties, by agreement, provide that no such fees shall be paid. In any case in which fees are awarded under this chapter, upon a finding that an employee, or other official of a licensing entity has acted in bad faith in refusing to comply with this chapter, the court may award such fees personally against such employee or other official.

 

[caboose84]

Well I got some mealy mouthed excuses today, from the secretary of the PD.

"It takes 10 to 14 *working* days for us to get the paperwork back. I just got the paperwork on Thursday, now it has to go through the chief and he's on vacation... I'll do what I can... We'll call when it's ready."

annoying.

I call BS on the paperwork, because the only check being done is the same State Police check done when you buy a handgun in NH, and that usually takes 15 minutes over the phone. The only way it could take that long is if the PD is going through the mail.

But as the prior poster pointed out, unless I want to haul them to court I have minimal influence.