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Diabetic AFOs within any UK police force
- Thread starter kamg36
- Start date
I am wondering if anyone out there is aware of any insulin depedant diabetic AFO/SFOs currently serving within any Uk police force wether it being on a firearms unit or otherwise?
Probably doubtful, even Military personnel who are diabetic cannot use weapons anymore, and the MOD are far laxer than the Police.
National Police Diabetic Association - Home
can I suggest contacting the above link, I can't find it now but there used to be a thing on there about someone in the met (DPG I think) who had to give up working as a firearms officer when he descovered he was diabetic due to the possibility of him going into diabetic coma and having his weapon taken
can I suggest contacting the above link, I can't find it now but there used to be a thing on there about someone in the met (DPG I think) who had to give up working as a firearms officer when he descovered he was diabetic due to the possibility of him going into diabetic coma and having his weapon taken
professorP
Longterm Registered User
Probably doubtful, even Military personnel who are diabetic cannot use weapons anymore, and the MOD are far laxer than the Police.
When did that happen? I have been a diabetic for 5 years. I left military 3 years ago. I managed to stay within my Battalion until i left. Fair do's i wasnt allowed to deploy but was still able to use my rifle and quals etc. My Mrs is a Cop in Notts and is T1 Diabetic and she was considering becoming AFO . she has had to do a medical and provide 6 months of HBA1c results to show she is controlled. But there shouldnt be any major problems. It can be atuned to the DDA if not.
When did that happen? I have been a diabetic for 5 years. I left military 3 years ago. I managed to stay within my Battalion until i left. Fair do's i wasnt allowed to deploy but was still able to use my rifle and quals etc. My Mrs is a Cop in Notts and is T1 Diabetic and she was considering becoming AFO . she has had to do a medical and provide 6 months of HBA1c results to show she is controlled. But there shouldnt be any major problems. It can be atuned to the DDA if not.
No idea but a friend of mine, who is in the MOB, found out last year he was T1 diabetic and was stopped from being armed (including re-quals) deploying (even to the Falklands) and certain specialist jobs.
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speak to Tim Savage @ National Police Diabetic Association - Home he has great success at putting AFO back on front line duties...
speak to Tim Savage @ National Police Diabetic Association - Home he has great success at putting AFO back on front line duties...
thanks macca, i emailed NPDA with membership form and awaiting a reply, ill mail tim savage and ask for adivce
cheers
totalrovers
New Member
Hi, any update on this thread regarding AFOs in UK forces? I`m a current AFO and am just going through the medical and windyness process after developing Type 2 Insulin dependant diabetes. Cheers
I think diabetes presents a problem not only for police but also private citizens applying for firearms certificates.
I recently renewed my FAC and was advised of the following:
1) The police now contact every applicant's GP and advise the GP that the applicant either has firearms (if it is a renewal) or is applying for firearms.
2) The GP is supposed to advise the police if there are any medical conditions which make it possible for the applicant to misuse a firearm, specifically where such misuse can result in harm to the applicant or to others.
3) Whilst the firearms officer did not go through an exhaustive list of conditions, he did mention depression and uncontrolled diabetes.
4) Whilst he wouldn't outright admit it, I don't think they can force the GP to disclose medical information like that BUT it will likely shift attention from the police to the GP if someone does go off the rails and shoots someone and the GP held back on information that the police could have acted on.
5) If the GP advises the police that the applicant is depressed, for example, the police will confiscate the applicant's guns pending improvement in his condition. I was told that there have been cases where people have lost their guns for a year or so, been re-evaluated medically and then cleared to have them back. My main concern with all this is that patients will not report depression or similar conditions to GPs because they now know it can result in confiscation of the guns. I'm not overly convinced a person could get them back either, I suspect the cases I was quoted by my firearms officer were in the minority...
There are several changes to the way they are doing things (this was a Met firearms officer). Another change of interest is the database in which your FAC particulars are recorded: this used to be a separate database from whatever police database is used to run checks when performing a stop or enquiry. Now the two are merged.
The implication is that if you have an FAC that hasn't been renewed in time and you have not advised the police that you have sold the guns OR you still in fact own them, then if you went out through passport control at the airport you have an automatic red flag due to the fact that the expired FAC is flagged up in the database straight away. The FAC is a 5 year timer, and when it counts down to zero you are instantly flagged as a person who is in illegal possession of firearms.
I recently renewed my FAC and was advised of the following:
1) The police now contact every applicant's GP and advise the GP that the applicant either has firearms (if it is a renewal) or is applying for firearms.
2) The GP is supposed to advise the police if there are any medical conditions which make it possible for the applicant to misuse a firearm, specifically where such misuse can result in harm to the applicant or to others.
3) Whilst the firearms officer did not go through an exhaustive list of conditions, he did mention depression and uncontrolled diabetes.
4) Whilst he wouldn't outright admit it, I don't think they can force the GP to disclose medical information like that BUT it will likely shift attention from the police to the GP if someone does go off the rails and shoots someone and the GP held back on information that the police could have acted on.
5) If the GP advises the police that the applicant is depressed, for example, the police will confiscate the applicant's guns pending improvement in his condition. I was told that there have been cases where people have lost their guns for a year or so, been re-evaluated medically and then cleared to have them back. My main concern with all this is that patients will not report depression or similar conditions to GPs because they now know it can result in confiscation of the guns. I'm not overly convinced a person could get them back either, I suspect the cases I was quoted by my firearms officer were in the minority...
There are several changes to the way they are doing things (this was a Met firearms officer). Another change of interest is the database in which your FAC particulars are recorded: this used to be a separate database from whatever police database is used to run checks when performing a stop or enquiry. Now the two are merged.
The implication is that if you have an FAC that hasn't been renewed in time and you have not advised the police that you have sold the guns OR you still in fact own them, then if you went out through passport control at the airport you have an automatic red flag due to the fact that the expired FAC is flagged up in the database straight away. The FAC is a 5 year timer, and when it counts down to zero you are instantly flagged as a person who is in illegal possession of firearms.
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RomeoAlpha
Longterm Registered User
As long as its controlled it isn't that much of a problem I wouldn't have though as a friend of mine is an AFO and is being deployed on Olympic duties with a boat crew...
I think you guy's need to find out the difference between T1 and T2
The military does not deploy any T2 Insulin dependant personnel and you are medically downgraded permnantly. For my father this meant being discharged earlier than anticipated, Not able to serve on ship's and withdrawn from diving duties although still able to instruct shoreside. With the possible effects from T2 I cant imagine an AFO being able to continue his duties even a minor hypo could cause problems for them and their partner
The military does not deploy any T2 Insulin dependant personnel and you are medically downgraded permnantly. For my father this meant being discharged earlier than anticipated, Not able to serve on ship's and withdrawn from diving duties although still able to instruct shoreside. With the possible effects from T2 I cant imagine an AFO being able to continue his duties even a minor hypo could cause problems for them and their partner
]When did that happen? I have been a diabetic for 5 years. I left military 3 years ago. I managed to stay within my Battalion until i left. Fair do's i wasnt allowed to deploy but was still able to use my rifle and quals etc. My Mrs is a Cop in Notts and is T1 Diabetic and she was considering becoming AFO . she has had to do a medical and provide 6 months of HBA1c results to show she is controlled. But there shouldnt be any major problems. It can be atuned to the DDA if not.
]were you still able to handle weapon even though type 1? having issues over something similar so curious to your case, many thanks
]were you still able to handle weapon even though type 1? having issues over something similar so curious to your case, many thanks
As long as its controlled it isn't that much of a problem I wouldn't have though as a friend of mine is an AFO and is being deployed on Olympic duties with a boat crew...
im trying to put evidence together of type 1 AFO's, if you may be interested in helping with
the story of your diabetic AFO?
im trying to put evidence together of type 1 AFO's
It may be worth your while dropping a FOI request on the Home Office or the Met.
https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-of-information-act
Problem with diabetics who take insulin and who are in roles such as firearms officers, the armed criminal does not always waite for you to eat food once you inject insulin prior to them causing a problem.
If you have injected your insulin and then a firearms incident kicks off before you eat, or you are in a prolonged incident unable to eat then you could end up Hypoglycaemic very quickly this becoming a danger to yourself and others.
This is why if you are insulin dependant, you cannot drive an LGV, a PSV fly a passanger aeroplane, drive a train, be a fireman or drive an ambulance that is over 3.5ton
Diabetes is an unfortunate disease that AFFCTS PEOPLES Lives
There are restrictions and those restrictions are for your safety as well as the safety of others
If you have injected your insulin and then a firearms incident kicks off before you eat, or you are in a prolonged incident unable to eat then you could end up Hypoglycaemic very quickly this becoming a danger to yourself and others.
This is why if you are insulin dependant, you cannot drive an LGV, a PSV fly a passanger aeroplane, drive a train, be a fireman or drive an ambulance that is over 3.5ton
Diabetes is an unfortunate disease that AFFCTS PEOPLES Lives
There are restrictions and those restrictions are for your safety as well as the safety of others