Virginia – -(AmmoLand.com)- Over the years, Virginia Citizens Defense League has had an excellent relationship with the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD). I have said many times that I consider them one of the best law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth.
One reason I say that is because whenever there has been an issue, we were able to reach out to them, and if the problem was theirs, they owned it and took quick action to correct the situation. The situation was handled professionally and we are not given the cold shoulder or treated disrespectfully.
An incident happened recently where a CHP holder was in a car accident. He had to go to the hospital in an ambulance. He turned his firearm over to a FCPD officer for safe keeping.
Luckily the CHP holder was not seriously injured and contacted FCPD to get his gun back. That’s when things ran off the tracks.
The CHP holder was told it would take two weeks to run a background check on him before the gun could be given back!
I was contacted about this matter by a friend of the permit holder, who is a Virginia Citizens Defense League member.
I contacted Sgt. Urps, who said that two-weeks was a standard delay in returning a firearm, even for one from an off-duty officer from another agency!
I pointed out to the sergeant that the same background check at a gun dealer takes from 2 to 5 minutes. Also, an officer can run that same background check on the side of the road at 3 am in a few minutes.
Next thing I knew, I got this email from Lt. Palenscar and the gun was immediately released.
This is exactly what I was saying earlier about FCPD being responsive and professional. Virginia Citizens Defense League thanks FCPD for making things right, including doing a review of their procedures when taking temporary possession of a person’s firearm:
Good Afternoon,
I was made aware of a situation where a firearm was collected for safekeeping after the owner of the weapon was taken to the hospital. I understand his frustration when he was told it may take two weeks to retrieve the weapon. As the firearm was collected for safekeeping, I have spoken to the owner of the firearm and assured him he is able to collect the weapon immediately. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. As a result, we are reviewing our procedures for the release of all weapons. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Justin
Lieutenant Justin P. Palenscar
Commander, Judicial Services Division
About Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL):
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
For more information, visit: www.vcdl.org.
This is the difference of having a police force that understands that they work for the citizens. Too many take the position that they are the masters.
Well done. Perhaps they could tour the nation teaching other departments how it is supposed to work.
Lee. In discussing our police in general it should be remembered that they are not responsible to the general public.They are responsible to their hiring authority. The hiring authority is supposed to be responsible to the public and we all see how that works out. I hope that the sound reasoning in law compliance of Lt. Plenscar does not cause him hardship by his hiring authority.
I would just tell them to give me the price the gun cost me.. because they did ballistic test and recorded the serial numbers on the gun, before it was returned.. basically a type of registration..
.
I would appreciate it if you would provide the documentation that supports your position. Thanks.
Other than the ballistics testing and retaining a fired bullet to be entered into a national data base – which many large, liberal-run cities would gleefully do and admit to, recording serial numbers and running a check (for stolen records, ballistics match in NCIC) IS standard practice EVERYWHERE when inventory and cataloging of evidence is done. You have to know what you have in evidence in case of theft, fire or natural disaster.
FCPD has always been great when I’ve dealt with them. When somebody is popping off rounds in an attempt to intimidate me or when I’m holding somebody for them to come and collect, they always respond fast and are great people. i keep some birch beer in the fridge just to give them as they leave as a thank you. A frosty one on a warm night makes things go much better. I had one problem, 30 years ago with getting a gun returned after stopping a robbery in the neighborhood, but it was solved in minutes. Good PD, good… Read more »
@Dave, So you live in Fairfax County? What is the deal with a county having a PD rather than a Sheriff’s Office?
Oh, and Lieutenant Justin P. Palenscar gets an “Attaboy”!
Fairfax County has both a PD and SO. The SO was created in 1742, and is the longest continually operationally SO in the nation. The PD was created by the county board because the SO was becoming overwhelmed with court, jail and general law enforcement duties. I don’t know the reasoning for creating a separate PD rather than expanding the SO.