Household firearm inspection ?

Nabs

Nabs

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 99.6%
267   1   1
Location
Somewhere...
I remember, when submitting my restricted license papers, to having to tick off the notorious box "will consent to firearm inspection". I am wondering has anyone had the "honour" of entertaining one of these visits ? Do they actually happen ? Are they randomly timely so they show up at your door at god knows what hour ? What type of inspection is involved ?

I guess my biggest question is, is there any truth to these inspections, and if so, what is the best way to prepare for one of these ? I fear that they will show up when I am working and demand to see the firearms. My thoughts turn immediately to the U.K. man and his wife who was forced to find the keys to the safe only to watch his husband, and his firearms, taken away later in a police car when he returned from work.
 
Don't believe there's was anything like that on my application either. How long ago did you submit it?

Speaking of which though, I have to have a chat with the wife about what to do if cops happen to show up for an inspection. Ex. Tell them they'll have to call me and set up a mutually inconvienient time.
 
Hi. Inspections are one of the many Charter of Rights violations in the FA. However, the rules for inspections are clearly laid out in the FA. Applies primarily to 'collectors'. I don't think the CPFO's have the manpower or time to actually do 'em, but the FA allows for it.
They must make an appointment(no calls saying, "We'll be there in an hour."), only between 8 AM to 8 PM and they cannot search the whole house. They can't actually 'search' at all. You must assist 'em though.
"...inspectors may only inspect parts of a residence where they can reasonably expect to find firearms and records of a firearms collection. They must give reasonable notice and obtain your consent or a warrant before they carry out the inspection."
 
sunray said:
"...inspectors may only inspect parts of a residence where they can reasonably expect to find firearms and records of a firearms collection. They must give reasonable notice and obtain your consent or a warrant before they carry out the inspection."
Click to expand...
Ahhh, good old "Reasonable". Is it reasonable that I might have firearms records on my computer? In the filing cabinet in my office at work? My safety deposit box? Buried in the backyard? Old reg certs being used in the cat litter box in the basement?

Also, why the heck is this post in Milsurp?
 
I had a chat with the wife about this. Told her if I am not home and cops show up she is not allowed to let them in without a warrant. It made sense to her after I talked it through.
 
I submitted my restricted license papers back in April of 2009. I do not remember there being a "Yes or No" response to the inspection question otherwise I would have picked the latter.

I was asked to submit the papers to the CFO of Ontario to be approved for the restricted license.

It is reassuring to know they cannot randomly appear on my door step and demand an inspection. I made a copy of the regulations sent to me along with my restricted license papers to be filled out which include the legal wording of the inspections and what they entail.

Just playing devils advocate here, what happens if you do not give your consent for the inspection ?
 
Toronto PS had the CFO of Ont inspect the homes of 48 legal gunowners over the age of 75 in 2007. Fishing expedition.
 
Toronto PS had the CFO of Ont inspect the homes of 48 legal gunowners over the age of 75 in 2007. Fishing expedition.
Click to expand...

Which got them nothing and died a quick death for some reason. To bad Blair won't tell us why that was, lol.
 
The CFO doesn't do home inspections. They delegate the local constabulary if they think there is a need. The Toronto inspections were the brain child of the Bob Blair Metro police. The idea was these old people might not have firearms stored safely and didn't really need guns that might fall into the hands of criminals. The CSSA did some advertising as to what homeowners fiream rights were. The police didn't find all kinds of unsafe storage or people that were ready to hand over their firearms and gave up.
 
themarauder said:
Ahhh, good old "Reasonable". Is it reasonable that I might have firearms records on my computer? In the filing cabinet in my office at work? My safety deposit box? Buried in the backyard? Old reg certs being used in the cat litter box in the basement?

Also, why the heck is this post in Milsurp?
Click to expand...

It is reasonable for them to expect that if you have a computer you might keep firearms records on it, so it is reasonable for them to look at any and every file on every computer and/or associated storage media that you have. This includes looking at dirty pictures of your wife/girlfriend if they are on the computer in case you disguised a firearms record with the filename "wifenaked.jpg". It could take a long time to go through all your files so they may have to take your computer back to their office to go through it.
 
Bushwacker
The Toronto inspections of the over 75 age group owners were done by the Ontario CFO. "Ontario's Chief Firearms Officer says it is responding to concerns raised by Toronto police" National Post 29 Nov 07. The CFO has said they will not do this again.
IIRC CSSA reported on this also.
 
TheTooner said:
It is reasonable for them to expect that if you have a computer you might keep firearms records on it, so it is reasonable for them to look at any and every file on every computer and/or associated storage media that you have. This includes looking at dirty pictures of your wife/girlfriend if they are on the computer in case you disguised a firearms record with the filename "wifenaked.jpg". It could take a long time to go through all your files so they may have to take your computer back to their office to go through it.
Click to expand...

I'm fairly sure I didn't see anything about confiscation for the purpose of inspection in the FA. And there is a breaker pannel in the livingroom that feeds the computer that I know has no firearms related information in it.
:eek: power is out... sorry, you go bye bye now.
 
I had an inspection done in the mid-90s when the law was still fairly new. They called days in advance, set-up a time, and only one officer showed-up. She only wanted to see my restricteds and prohibs, double-checked their serial numbers, how they were stored, where the ammo was, and then checked each mag from guns that were originally designed to hold more than 5 rds for rifles and 10 rounds for handguns. The total time was less than 30mins. She didn't go snooping around anywhere else in the house and didn't bother with my non-restricted firearms. No biggie, but things may have changed in the past 15 or so years.
 
Not to worry if you checked off the box. You can still stand for your rights. If they ever do come knocking, you can tell them that you still agree to an inspection, when they get a valid warrant to do so. And until they have a proper warrant you just have to say, no thanks, goodbye, and close your door.
 
Nabs said:
I remember, when submitting my restricted license papers, to having to tick off the notorious box "will consent to firearm inspection". .
Click to expand...

No one else recalls this being there.

Nabs said:
I submitted my restricted license papers back in April of 2009. I do not remember there being a "Yes or No" response to the inspection question otherwise I would have picked the latter.
Click to expand...

I'm confused now.:confused::confused: What form was this??
 
Nabs said:
I was asked to submit the papers to the CFO of Ontario to be approved for the restricted license.


. I made a copy of the regulations sent to me along with my restricted license papers to be filled out which include the legal wording of the inspections and what they entail.

?
Click to expand...

Please humor us with a copy.
 
My inspection last year.

I had the pleasure of an inspection last year. When I first got news I was out on military training in the US and the AB FO was phoning my wife wanting to do an inspection without my presence.

I gave him a call and he started asking silly fishing questions like:
How many firearms do you own? (He knew and had the computer open infront of him)
How do I store my firearms? (Locked with restricted double locked, etc).

He finally said that I had "alot of firearms" and he wanted to do an inspection and that three transfers were not going to go through until the inspection was complete.

I agreed to the inspection and if you refuse, they can get a warrant and kick down the door. I also booked the inspection upon my return (six weeks later) and I asked him to stop phoning my wife which he did.

He showed up for the inspection with an RCMP escort and had a list of all my firearms. I had to show him my storage facilities, match each serial to the firearms on his list and if any firearms were not present in the house, I had to account for their where-abouts (gunsmithing, etc.). Took about three hours and they were rather pleasant. I ended up getting my collectors license and the three transfers went through quickly afterwards.

They only asked to see my gun safes and didn't want to see my ammunition or any other parts of the house. What raised the red flag was I purchased three Tariq pistols in hopes of them increasing in value one day. I guess buying three 'identical' firearms makes you suspicious in the governments eyes.

I also wrote a letter to my MP and his office was good and said they could not do the inspection without my presence and if my wife was hassled that my MP would get involved in protecting her.

The problem is that the law states "reasonable" and that leaves it open for interpretation.

I think we should be worried about the illegal firearms and the firearms that law enforcement doesn't know about, not the legally owned and registered firearms that are stored properly.

What does an RCMP officer need to worry about more? My registered and legally stored firearms when he knocks on my door for some reason? Or the illegal/stolen sawed off shotgun when he comes to the door of a criminal?

The firearms you don't know about are the ones you need to worry about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom