90+ days & Still waiting!!! Is this really how it is? (Vent/qsts)

[To34 0]

As I sit here I will first tell you that relocating from the west to the east coast & understanding NJ gun laws is enough to drive a person insane. I have followed each step, finger print, NJ FID permit request and even paid my money too. I am seriously wondering what did I pay for?! I turned my paper work FEB 17th 2013 and yet no follow up at all. 

 

I have debated on weather to call out the PD for the township given we are so small but I have called only once and that was last month simply wanting to know if there was a delay and if there was anything I can do to help. (super sweet nice guy voice)  I can understand a delay given all the issues with the NJ gun system. The impact the storm had I am sure is not something that is going to be fixed over night. 

 

I have asked my references if they were contacted and both said yes. I even asked my boss (btw I'm in the Navy so that was lots of fun) if he had seen anything. 

 

I do not want to tick off the officer but this is unreal I maintain a freaking clearance and have been active duty for over 17 years!? I have no idea what steps I should take to press the issue without it blowing up in my face. Most the posts I have searched here have never had a good time pressing the issue, so if someone could please help me with some insight it would be greatly appreciated.

 

I dropped off paper work on the 17th of Feb finger prints were end of 1st week of March, we are now almost 90+ days?! What should be my next course of action???

 

[TheMan 45]

Be patient thats all i can say, but consistently call and bother them, trust me youll get it sooner. Im also in the military and hold a clearance, my initial fid took 4 months. once 2 handgun permits took 6 months.

[Carcano 14]

That's the way it is with many towns, I would contact Evan Nappen - www.evannappen.com

 

When I contacted Nappen about my FPID he called the local PD and sure enough, next morning PD calls.

He didn't charge me anything, so all I can say is it's worth a shot to give him a ring!

 

This State sucks for gun rights, had two rifles on hold while I waited for my FPID but it took so long to get it that when my card was approved the same two rifles were going for around $300 less each.

[diamondd817 826]

 

 

I do not want to tick off the officer but this is unreal I maintain a freaking clearance and have been active duty for over 17 years!?

Good thing NJ has no say in arming our military!!

 

Try emailing the chief in your town. You can usually find his/her email address on the township website. It worked for me.

[gfl216 226]

I put in for a P2P on December 20th 2012 and still waiting . This state sucks there is nothing good about living in New jersey. I retire in 11 years and then in the words of Davy Crockett " They can go to hell and I will go to Texas"

[david8613 69]

in north Bergen it's a 3 month wait for an appointment just to apply for permits!!! then you have to wait another 3 months to get them it sucks,,,

[dtown223 12]

Welcome to NJ

Emails to the chief have been effective for me in the past.

My waits vary from 4-7 months

I called Nappens office and whoever answered the phone there said he couldn't help me, maybe you'll have better luck.

[djg0770 481]

I have successfully written the mayor in the past and achieved results in my town.

[jm1827 284]

At least you have a local PD, those of us who have to go through the NJSP have waited, on average, close to 6 months.

 

 

Keep calling, be polite but let them know you are in top of it.  Contact the chief, then the mayor and if you have pro2A state representatives contact them as well.  You can also reach out to the state AG and let him know what is going on.

[anactivegrenade 25]

That's the way it is with many towns, I would contact Evan Nappen - www.evannappen.com

 

When I contacted Nappen about my FPID he called the local PD and sure enough, next morning PD calls.

He didn't charge me anything, so all I can say is it's worth a shot to give him a ring!

 

This State sucks for gun rights, had two rifles on hold while I waited for my FPID but it took so long to get it that when my card was approved the same two rifles were going for around $300 less each.

 

Son of a B, I should've done that then. Hahaha.

 

But seriously, keep calling. Meet with your mayor, or call your city's counselors. Bitch to everyone.

[To34 0]

Thanks for the guidance and the assurance I am not losing my mind. lol

[Sludog 0]

I would not say this is a NJ thing since it varies from town to town. My town ,Stafford twp., was very quick resolving these issues. Spoke to a guy in a shop the other day and said he just got 4 purchase permits in 33 days. Shop owner said that Stafford has always been a "gun friendly" town. 

Although I must say the people handling the permits and FID are top notch employees and don't beat around the bush.

 

I hope you get your papers back and get shooting real soon. On the plus side guns and ammo are little easier to come by and prices have dropped as well. 

[gleninjersey 2,139]

If both your references returned their paperwork and you have been fingerprinted then you should almost be done.  I followed up with my town clerk (they make the appoint for the initial appointment) and explained my problem...you can see the post I started about my process.  Had my FID 2 weeks later.....  If you didn't go through town clerk, then contact Chief and just be nice and explain you just want to make sure they have received all the paperwork back....actually, I had to go down with my receipt from fingerprinting b/c after 3 months they evidently had received confirmation from fingerprinting company. 

[Damjan 73]

Thanks for the guidance and the assurance I am not losing my mind. lol

You do know that any NJ legal long guns and handguns with capacity up to 15rds that you ve bought while being resident of another state you can bring here without the need for an FID. its just to purchase new things here and to buy ammo in NJ.

[Maksim 1,504]

What town is this?

 

Typical FID processing for new people once all is in, is around 2 to 3 months..  If it takes longer, contract NJ2AS, NJ2as.org.  They have been successful in the past.

 

Some bigger anti gun towns, put it this way, an 8 month wait is not unheard of.

 

Call Mayor, Call Chief.

[raz-0 1,259]

My general plan of attack is to politely nag the crap out of them as they delay. The focus is generally on offering up the possibility that it is something other than the repsonsible party at the town level causing the problem (because they will tell you that anyway) and focus on the theoretical delay caused by the third party and how you can both facilitate making this work. Preferably by a method that requires the person on the other end of the phone to perform some simple, mundane and tedious task while on the phone, or to target you at some 3rd party in a manner that may come back to them and make their life more annoying. Remember, when they are being a giant PITA and dragging their feet, they are trying to make you go away and/or reduce their workload while looking like it isn't them. Your goal is to make that not happen. I usually try to give them a week of peace an quiet as a reward for completing each step.  Examples at the various stages. 

 

Forms - I know what goes in there. I've done this tons of times. I'll download them and fill them out, and also print out a blank copy. sure. IF you are the Critically Important Little Old Lady , I'll cut you some slack and hand them in. If you are an officer who is going to make me make an appointment for this, I'm making it, and I'm going to do my best to force you to get me copies of the form and fill them out in front of you. You know.... because no two municipalities seem to do things the same way, and that always seems to be the reason for delay, so we are going to ensure this is done correctly once. Remember be polite!!! We are going to beat this as a TEAM!!!! 

 

Reference letters - IF the person form step one wasn't a jerk, I give them a business week to mail them out and verify with the recipients if they have them by day 9 (roughly), which is more than enough time to get around to mailing them out and  for them to arrive.  Ask them if they have gone out because your references have gotten nothing. Do they need the names and addresses again. Ask them to verify if they instantly say no. The point is to politely request them to do annoying work. When your references send them back, give them time to arrive. I give them 2 business days. Then call to ask if they received them. No? give them 2 more. Repeat. Call at different times of day and from different numbers. One of your goals here is to find the times of day when they seem most annoyed by your call, but also actually do stuff. If they were annoying, I start this whole process with a much shorter and more frequent schedule. 

 

Morpho - you will very often get ambiguous instructions, or conflicting sets of instructions as to what to do about receipts for this. Even if they explained clearly, call them and verify the set of instructions you are following are the correct set (i.e. turn them in or don't turn them in). This is usually good for 2 calls, because you need to be really, really sure. If they do require you to turn it in and it necessitates an appointment, ask them for a fistful of handgun permit forms while you are there. Time it to be annoying and reinforce that you guys are a TEAM!!! working an uphill battle and that every possibility exists for working together more and more frequently in the future!!! 

 

Background check - I've had them blame the NJSP and the FBI on this one. Ask them who you can contact there. Insist there has got to be something. They won't want to tell you, and you don't care because it's only an excuse to spend time with your new team member!!!! Of course, you know what office deals with it at the NJSP. So call them and ask them why are they screwing with your new best bud. Drag this out and turn it into a call every 2-3 days that is the equivalent of middle school girls calling each other up to talk $hit about some other girl not in the conversation and then devolve into a 5 year old asking if we are there yet ever few days. 

 

Police chief's signature - now it's just waiting for this a-hole, that is probably nothing more than a secretary with a rubber stamp waiting for said a-hole to say yeah stamp that. Is it done yet? No, how about now? Hmm.. perhaps I should make an appointment to discuss this with the chief directly, I know he's your boss, so there is only so much you can do... who do I make an appointment with. Etc.  You may not be able to do much here other than nag about "is it done yet, I just want to make sure it isn't signed and sitting there" because lots of times that will happen too. Some places like to let it rot there as the last stop to denying you. i.e. if you can't be bothered to pick it up, you shouldn't own a gun or whatever reasoning they have. 

 

At this point, you can actually try to make that appointment with the chief, escalate to the mayor, bring it up at the town council on a slow night, etc. The usual stuff. 

 

A secondary goal of all of this is to actually get some straight answers out of them to make your life easier. One place I lived, my cavalcade of positive and helpful annoyance got me the answer on what day(s) of the month it was best to submit my forms because they admitted that they processed stuff only twice a month for anything other than forms getting added to a particular pile. Getting the timing right on submission and reference letters cut time from mid 60s to mid 40s. One place I lived, the outbox was infinitely deep, and they weren't going to call you to ocme pick them up no matter what. being persistent cut that from infinity to 2 days. 

[BrianN 0]

Wow, you should offer these services to people applying for FID's and permits! Make yourself some extra cash on the side, haha. I was recently quoted 2-3 months for a pistol permit and would love to have someone keep the police station on their toes.

My general plan of attack is to politely nag the crap out of them as they delay. The focus is generally on offering up the possibility that it is something other than the repsonsible party at the town level causing the problem (because they will tell you that anyway) and focus on the theoretical delay caused by the third party and how you can both facilitate making this work. Preferably by a method that requires the person on the other end of the phone to perform some simple, mundane and tedious task while on the phone, or to target you at some 3rd party in a manner that may come back to them and make their life more annoying. Remember, when they are being a giant PITA and dragging their feet, they are trying to make you go away and/or reduce their workload while looking like it isn't them. Your goal is to make that not happen. I usually try to give them a week of peace an quiet as a reward for completing each step.  Examples at the various stages. 

 

Forms - I know what goes in there. I've done this tons of times. I'll download them and fill them out, and also print out a blank copy. sure. IF you are the Critically Important Little Old Lady , I'll cut you some slack and hand them in. If you are an officer who is going to make me make an appointment for this, I'm making it, and I'm going to do my best to force you to get me copies of the form and fill them out in front of you. You know.... because no two municipalities seem to do things the same way, and that always seems to be the reason for delay, so we are going to ensure this is done correctly once. Remember be polite!!! We are going to beat this as a TEAM!!!! 

 

Reference letters - IF the person form step one wasn't a jerk, I give them a business week to mail them out and verify with the recipients if they have them by day 9 (roughly), which is more than enough time to get around to mailing them out and  for them to arrive.  Ask them if they have gone out because your references have gotten nothing. Do they need the names and addresses again. Ask them to verify if they instantly say no. The point is to politely request them to do annoying work. When your references send them back, give them time to arrive. I give them 2 business days. Then call to ask if they received them. No? give them 2 more. Repeat. Call at different times of day and from different numbers. One of your goals here is to find the times of day when they seem most annoyed by your call, but also actually do stuff. If they were annoying, I start this whole process with a much shorter and more frequent schedule. 

 

Morpho - you will very often get ambiguous instructions, or conflicting sets of instructions as to what to do about receipts for this. Even if they explained clearly, call them and verify the set of instructions you are following are the correct set (i.e. turn them in or don't turn them in). This is usually good for 2 calls, because you need to be really, really sure. If they do require you to turn it in and it necessitates an appointment, ask them for a fistful of handgun permit forms while you are there. Time it to be annoying and reinforce that you guys are a TEAM!!! working an uphill battle and that every possibility exists for working together more and more frequently in the future!!! 

 

Background check - I've had them blame the NJSP and the FBI on this one. Ask them who you can contact there. Insist there has got to be something. They won't want to tell you, and you don't care because it's only an excuse to spend time with your new team member!!!! Of course, you know what office deals with it at the NJSP. So call them and ask them why are they screwing with your new best bud. Drag this out and turn it into a call every 2-3 days that is the equivalent of middle school girls calling each other up to talk $hit about some other girl not in the conversation and then devolve into a 5 year old asking if we are there yet ever few days. 

 

Police chief's signature - now it's just waiting for this a-hole, that is probably nothing more than a secretary with a rubber stamp waiting for said a-hole to say yeah stamp that. Is it done yet? No, how about now? Hmm.. perhaps I should make an appointment to discuss this with the chief directly, I know he's your boss, so there is only so much you can do... who do I make an appointment with. Etc.  You may not be able to do much here other than nag about "is it done yet, I just want to make sure it isn't signed and sitting there" because lots of times that will happen too. Some places like to let it rot there as the last stop to denying you. i.e. if you can't be bothered to pick it up, you shouldn't own a gun or whatever reasoning they have. 

 

At this point, you can actually try to make that appointment with the chief, escalate to the mayor, bring it up at the town council on a slow night, etc. The usual stuff. 

 

A secondary goal of all of this is to actually get some straight answers out of them to make your life easier. One place I lived, my cavalcade of positive and helpful annoyance got me the answer on what day(s) of the month it was best to submit my forms because they admitted that they processed stuff only twice a month for anything other than forms getting added to a particular pile. Getting the timing right on submission and reference letters cut time from mid 60s to mid 40s. One place I lived, the outbox was infinitely deep, and they weren't going to call you to ocme pick them up no matter what. being persistent cut that from infinity to 2 days. 

[wink-_-wink 1]

As I sit here I will first tell you that relocating from the west to the east coast & understanding NJ gun laws is enough to drive a person insane. I have followed each step, finger print, NJ FID permit request and even paid my money too. I am seriously wondering what did I pay for?! I turned my paper work FEB 17th 2013 and yet no follow up at all. 

 

I have debated on weather to call out the PD for the township given we are so small but I have called only once and that was last month simply wanting to know if there was a delay and if there was anything I can do to help. (super sweet nice guy voice)  I can understand a delay given all the issues with the NJ gun system. The impact the storm had I am sure is not something that is going to be fixed over night. 

 

I have asked my references if they were contacted and both said yes. I even asked my boss (btw I'm in the Navy so that was lots of fun) if he had seen anything. 

 

I do not want to tick off the officer but this is unreal I maintain a freaking clearance and have been active duty for over 17 years!? I have no idea what steps I should take to press the issue without it blowing up in my face. Most the posts I have searched here have never had a good time pressing the issue, so if someone could please help me with some insight it would be greatly appreciated.

 

I dropped off paper work on the 17th of Feb finger prints were end of 1st week of March, we are now almost 90+ days?! What should be my next course of action???

I am in your exact shoes brother! Actualyl I am in lakehurst as well and also i turned mine in in February.  The difference is I grew up in Lakehurst, I am military and current law enforcement.  I personally know the chief and several of the officers and still dont have mine.  The ex mayor was one of my references!! My family is fairly known in that town and I still can't get anything done!  I am going to send you a private message with some questions!

[verysimple 0]

2.5 months in North NJ and getting nothing but a runaround from my town PD..

I'll wait 2 more weeks and then will start emailing chief, etc..

 

And my pistol on hold dropped $200 in value in the mean time.

[To34 0]

I am in your exact shoes brother! Actualyl I am in lakehurst as well and also i turned mine in in February.  The difference is I grew up in Lakehurst, I am military and current law enforcement.  I personally know the chief and several of the officers and still dont have mine.  The ex mayor was one of my references!! My family is fairly known in that town and I still can't get anything done!  I am going to send you a private message with some questions!

Thanks for the info off line & for those who asked yes Lakehurst, I didn't get a good vibe when I dropped off my info & provided my military ID. I'm starting to get the idea the local PD may not like military?????

 

 NJ2as.org will be my next step, I can be as Patience as the next guy as long as I know I'm not being discriminated against for being military. 

 

I've been crazy busy this week but next week I'll start poking around & seeing what sort of response I get?

I use to think Cal was bad but this... this is just something else. 

I can not even fathom how a state can get to this degree of just destroying the 2nd Amendment. Texas & FL are looking a lot better for retirement. 

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Hmmm, I don't remember how long I have been waiting. I have to find the USPS money order and see what I applied. I lost my FID card and applied for another one, getting 3 PPP's to go with it. I know it's been at least eight weeks so far..............With the current state of NIC's and my town won't extend permits anymore, I will buy three handguns and apply for the exemption, otherwise at least one, possibly two permits will expire.............This state is ridiculous.

[wink-_-wink 1]

Thanks for the info off line & for those who asked yes Lakehurst, I didn't get a good vibe when I dropped off my info & provided my military ID. I'm starting to get the idea the local PD may not like military?????

 

 NJ2as.org will be my next step, I can be as Patience as the next guy as long as I know I'm not being discriminated against for being military. 

 

I've been crazy busy this week but next week I'll start poking around & seeing what sort of response I get?

I use to think Cal was bad but this... this is just something else. 

I can not even fathom how a state can get to this degree of just destroying the 2nd Amendment. Texas & FL are looking a lot better for retirement. 

 

I don't think that they hate military, because they know the military money pays for that town to still be there!  I think they just hate the thought of non cops having guns... It is a small quiet town ran by the good ole boys... They like to be in control... but they can't hold them forever... I am making my call in the morning!

[wink-_-wink 1]

To the OP:

 

I made a list for my own personal P2P issues with this town but you may be able to use some of this.

 

LPD Chief Eric Higgins: [email protected] (732)657-7812 (couldn't find an extension)

Division of State Police:Firearms Investigation Unit: (609)882-2000

Lakehurst Mayor Harry Robbins: [email protected] 732-657-4141 (the boro number)

NJ2AS email: [email protected] (their email is more official sounding than our elected officials lol)

Evan Nappen: [email protected] 732-389-8888 (if you don't know who that is LOOK HIM UP!!)

District 10 (ocean county) legislature: Senate: James Holzapfel ®; Assembly: Greg McGuckin ®, David Wolfe ®- 732-840-9028

JBMDL Legal Office- 609-754-2010

Lakehurst VFW- Commander C. Hetzel- 732-657-6609

 

I am starting with the chief then the mayor/council and just going to keep running up the chain!  I also have the number to the NRA civil rights defense and the F.O.P. as I am a member of both of those... I really hope you get your permit and we don't have to go through all the above listed people but I am not going to just sit at home knowing my background cleared back in March.... Good luck brother!

[M4BGRINGO 139]

My USPS money order was done on 4/19 so tomorrow will be my two month anniversary for applying for a replacement FID card. Amazing how quickly the state can get things done............

[To34 0]

I thought I had added an update to my own post not make a second thread... but for those of you who have been watching.... here is the update. 

 

I'm going to chose my words carefully... but THEY LOST ALL OF MY PAPER WORK!

 

All of my paper work was missing from the Lakehurst PD thankfully I had copies of everything. 

 

The officer was polite and professional and stated he would take care of this issue personally. 

 

I was also instructed to provide my supervisors address so that the PD could send a letter of "verification of employment" as he was holding my Military ID card? as I stood there on lunch taking care of this issue. (Rather odd, but hell being military I've been asked/told to do things & have learned to say YES with a big smile.) 

 

When I asked why he needed my supervisors address I was told it was standard issue, the officer was never rude or blunt just simply stated it as matter of fact. 

 

I want to make it clear I am not frustrated or disappointed with the PD or the officers, I am frustrated that the system has become so broken that no one can clearly understand the requirements.  

 

 

So the clock resets and restarts......... 

[Old Dog 19]

In the last 90 days I bought 8 guns. That is why I moved from NJ to Florida. I like to buy and shoot different guns and could not engage in my favorite hobby with the laws in NJ so when they started talking about one handgun a month, I put the house up for sale and moved.

 

When I lived in NJ I would see a gun and fall in love with it. However, by the time I got my permit I fell out of love with it and ended up buying a different gun. Happened every time.