A few days ago I got "the call" from the PD, so I went down and picked it up and it was indeed the ALP I had requested. Yay! (Though Arlington is a "green" town, so I suppose it should have been expected, but I wasn't taking anything for granted).
Since I've posted a bunch of questions here, I figured I owed the group pack to post on my experience so that any future Arlingtonians applying for an LTC would have an idea what to expect.
The APD bifurcates the process. You have to hand in the filled-out paper application (and only that) at first. On my application I put down "for all lawful purposes" (and only that) on the Reason for Issuance line. Then about a week later (to give them time to type it into MIRCS, I guess) you call the lieutenant delegated to handling firearms licenses and set up an interview. When you come to the interview, you bring your $100 check, your safety class certificate, and a signed acknowledgement that you read the AG's statement on MA deadly force laws (that last is the only "extra" thing Arlington makes applicants submit).
While probably overkill, when I went to my interview, I decided to go "full professional" and showed up in a suit and tie. I have no idea if that helped or hurt. The LT brought up the MIRCS system and took my picture with a webcam. Then the LT did the fingerprint scan. That took a while, since the scanner was balky and it was hard to the magic dot in the capture box. After that, the LT did an old-fashioned fingerprint card of me (ten fingers plus all five fingers together on each hand, plus upper half of palm of each hand. Since I had no idea if this was legally required and because having held a Secret clearance back when I worked in the defense biz, my fingerprints were already in the system, I didn't say anything about it.
The "interview" itself was very short. The LT asked me what my address was and how long I had lived in Arlington. Then the LT asked me why I wanted the license. Since Arlington is "green" and since the cover letter you get when you pick up a blank application says that "generally, ALPs are issued", I kept it short and simply and responded "For personal protection, hunting, shooting with friends on the range -- basically, all lawful purposes". That drew a half-grunted "all right" as a response.
The LT then photcopied my safety certificate and gave the original back (without any need to ask for it back), took my check, and gave me a dated receipt for the check (with the application number written on the receipt, as, I assume, MIRCS had already generated an application number). Then the LT went back to the MIRCS terminal, gave the application the once over (when the LT brought it up when I first came in, the "All lawful purposes" radio button was already selected), printed it out, and had me sign it.
The LT was averagely curteous, though I had to sit through some cracks about "you gun nuts". I couldn't tell if the LT was just being a ballbuster or if there was actual animosity toward LTC applicants.
I was told that the MSP was backed up and the license would take 4-6 weeks and was asked if I wanted it sooner. Because of the "gun nut" cracks, I deciding to play it safe and that the normal processing would be fine, and that was it for submitting the application.
Then a few days ago I got the call. From interview/final submission to getting the call was 38 days. Along with the license was a form letter from EOPS reminding me of the notice requirements if I move and another form with my Personal Firearms ID Number (PIN) that I guess I need to provide when buying a gun.
I hope anyone from Arlington who is looking to apply will find this post useful.
Since I've posted a bunch of questions here, I figured I owed the group pack to post on my experience so that any future Arlingtonians applying for an LTC would have an idea what to expect.
The APD bifurcates the process. You have to hand in the filled-out paper application (and only that) at first. On my application I put down "for all lawful purposes" (and only that) on the Reason for Issuance line. Then about a week later (to give them time to type it into MIRCS, I guess) you call the lieutenant delegated to handling firearms licenses and set up an interview. When you come to the interview, you bring your $100 check, your safety class certificate, and a signed acknowledgement that you read the AG's statement on MA deadly force laws (that last is the only "extra" thing Arlington makes applicants submit).
While probably overkill, when I went to my interview, I decided to go "full professional" and showed up in a suit and tie. I have no idea if that helped or hurt. The LT brought up the MIRCS system and took my picture with a webcam. Then the LT did the fingerprint scan. That took a while, since the scanner was balky and it was hard to the magic dot in the capture box. After that, the LT did an old-fashioned fingerprint card of me (ten fingers plus all five fingers together on each hand, plus upper half of palm of each hand. Since I had no idea if this was legally required and because having held a Secret clearance back when I worked in the defense biz, my fingerprints were already in the system, I didn't say anything about it.
The "interview" itself was very short. The LT asked me what my address was and how long I had lived in Arlington. Then the LT asked me why I wanted the license. Since Arlington is "green" and since the cover letter you get when you pick up a blank application says that "generally, ALPs are issued", I kept it short and simply and responded "For personal protection, hunting, shooting with friends on the range -- basically, all lawful purposes". That drew a half-grunted "all right" as a response.
The LT then photcopied my safety certificate and gave the original back (without any need to ask for it back), took my check, and gave me a dated receipt for the check (with the application number written on the receipt, as, I assume, MIRCS had already generated an application number). Then the LT went back to the MIRCS terminal, gave the application the once over (when the LT brought it up when I first came in, the "All lawful purposes" radio button was already selected), printed it out, and had me sign it.
The LT was averagely curteous, though I had to sit through some cracks about "you gun nuts". I couldn't tell if the LT was just being a ballbuster or if there was actual animosity toward LTC applicants.
I was told that the MSP was backed up and the license would take 4-6 weeks and was asked if I wanted it sooner. Because of the "gun nut" cracks, I deciding to play it safe and that the normal processing would be fine, and that was it for submitting the application.
Then a few days ago I got the call. From interview/final submission to getting the call was 38 days. Along with the license was a form letter from EOPS reminding me of the notice requirements if I move and another form with my Personal Firearms ID Number (PIN) that I guess I need to provide when buying a gun.
I hope anyone from Arlington who is looking to apply will find this post useful.
