Firearms Enquiry Officer (Headquarters, Chelmsford)

Location of Role: Chelmsford 

Advert Closing Date: 27/06/2025 

Starting Salary: £26,106.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time 

Contract Type: Permanent 

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri 

Weekend/Evening Working: No 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to undertake the role of Firearms Enquiry Officer (FEO) within the Firearms, Shotguns and Explosive Licensing Section. 

Working as part of a small team, the role of Firearms Enquiry Officer is challenging yet rewarding and you will deal with a range of enquiries relating to the applications for and suitability of firearms, shotgun, and explosives certificates and holder.

Working primarily with members of the public, you will interview applicants, paying particular attention to family circumstances, the level of domestic harmony, personal habits, especially mental health issues, domestic abuse, substance abuse and any other factor that may raise concerns over the suitability of the applicant to hold certification. You will be able to apply professional curiosity and identify clues that indicate risk. You will have the ability to be assertive and impartial whilst making sound objective recommendations, in accordance with national and Essex Police policy and legislative requirements.

You will be required to provide advice to Police Officers, support staff and members of the public. You are required to be responsible for the prioritisation and booking of appointments and keeping your own diary. You will be responsible for your own geographical area and will be provided with a vehicle to carry out your duties. You will become a single point of contact for clubs and registered firearms dealers as well as members of the shooting fraternity within your assigned area.  You must be willing and able to carry out land checks over rough and uneven surfaces and where necessary climb ladders to access areas in order to inspect security arrangements.

Following appropriate training and qualification, Firearms Enquiry Officers will be appointed as Explosives Liaison Officers, with powers and responsibilities as Inspectors under the relevant provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to inspect and approve explosives storage and to institute proceedings. In respect of these duties’ officers may liaise with Local Authority Trading Standards Officers and the Health and Safety Executive as appropriate.

At shortlisting, we will be looking for essential evidence of:

• Ability to communicate a reasoned argument through reports and verbal communication, demonstrating good analytical skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to demonstrate a sound knowledge of interview planning and have significant interview experience for information-gathering purposes.

• Ability to deal with potential conflict situations and is able to diffuse them through appropriate interpersonal skills.

• Competent in the use of IT systems.

• A full UK driving licence is essential.

In addition, it would be helpful if you could evidence previous firearms experience.

What we offer in return:

• Discounts at a variety of shops and restaurants.

• Discounted excursions via our Sports and Social Association.

• 23 days annual leave per year (pro rata for part time) increasing with service.

• Unique working environment supporting the delivery of policing services in the County.

• Enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

• Ongoing training, development, and promotion opportunities.

For further information, please contact Firearms Supervisor 42006763 Deborah Allum via teams or email Deborah.allum@essex.police.uk. 

Essex Police offer agile working which designates that certain roles can offer flexibility in terms of place of work, including some home working. The specific requirements of this role will be discussed during the interview stages with candidates. The extent of flexibility will be agreed through individual assessment with the line manager to assess operational requirements and individual’s suitability for home working.

Essex Police offer incremental increases within this salary band, therefore the salary for this position will rise to a maximum of £28,650.00.

For the full job description please click here. 

Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the “reason for application” question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your “reason for application” answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters. This count may differ from the Microsoft Word word count function therefore you may wish to use a different online character counter to check the characters used.

All of our posts require a level of vetting and security clearance.  During the recruitment process you will be sent vetting information forms to complete. 

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

This post is open to:

• British Citizens
• Members of a European Economic Area (EEA) state who hold settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.  
• Commonwealth citizens or foreign nationals (who are not British citizens or European Economic Area (EEA) state members) who have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period that is free from restrictions.

All applicants (except those who have been serving abroad with the British Armed Forces) must have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years.

Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer. Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.

As a Disability Confident Leader we:

• have subjected our Disability Confident self-assessment to external challenge and validation
• are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work. Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included.