Jackson FID Four Months

Just figured I'd report that it took four months for Jackson PD to issue an FID with 2 permits. Could have been much longer, too, had I not "intervened".

I submitted paperwork in early December. One of my references failed to get the questionnaire (lost in the mail) so I had to make another request at around the 2 month mark to send another copy. My reference returned the form quickly and I called the PD again around the 10 week mark to check on status. They said that all the paperwork was done at that time, everything was awaiting the chief's signature, and they expected to get it back from his office in "about two weeks".

Needless to say, I got busy and never wound up calling until Monday of this week. All the person in records did was repeat that the paperwork was still with the Chief and they would call me when they got it back. Fed up, I called the Mayor's office. They put me in touch with the town administrator, who asked me to email him my account of the situation. I did that the same afternoon. Interestingly, I got a call yesterday before Noon that the paperwork was ready and picked it up today. Squeaky wheel indeed.

It seems to me that the basic approval process takes no more than two months, and the Chiefs tend to sit on these applications for no good reason. They could have their secretaries (or better yet, the PD records people) rubber stamp his signature on these things, but for whatever reason, they don't. I also requested that the Mayor investigate the reason for the delays, but I'm less hopeful I'll hear anything from him on the matter. I think it just comes down to the fact that the police don't consider FID approvals high enough priority, which to me is evidence enough they should be abolished, but I'm sure I'll be in my grave before that happens.

So to anyone waiting for paperwork from Jackson PD, call the records office. If they give you the run-around, call the Mayor's office and complain. Worked for me.