Colonie Pistol Permit Timeline - Will Update Throughout Experience

[stanj0]

I live in the town of Colonie, I will document my progress throughout the process, hope it helps someone out there.

Helpful Links:
1. How to Apply for a Pistol Permit, Amendment, or Gunsmith/Dealer License in Albany County
2. http://www.albanycounty.com/Librarie...rmit.sflb.ashx

04MAY2016 - Attended Basic Pistol Safety Course at the Watervliet Fish and Game Protective Association

*9 Months of Procrastination*

25JAN2017 - Applied for Non Driver ID from the NY State DMV, I have an out of state drivers license as I am a College Student

26JAN2017 - Contacted David Messmer to schedule appointment. It went to voicemail as he only works Monday through Friday 0800-1600

27JAN2017 - Contacted David Messmer and scheduled my appointment for April 5th, from call to appointment I will be waiting 2 months, see you then.

05APR2017 - Met with Officer Messmer for the initial meeting. He took copies of my documents, gave me 2 NYS Pistol Applications, asked for me to add him on Facebook, asked for contact info for my places of work, and from my significant other. He was very thorough and took a lot of notes on me during this interview. There seemed to be an issue with my place of residence - where I get my mail is different than where I actually live. With proof of residence at my apartment I think I will be okay - despite my NY Non Driver ID saying a family member's house. I am now working on the 4 references, the finger prints, and notarizing my main form. Officer Messmer told me the process would take 12 months.

FYI: Digital fingerprinting is done with a separate agency and costs $99

07APR2017 - Got my fingerprints done with MorphoTrust USA. It was quick and only took around 20-30 minutes. They took my fingerprints, confirmed all of my PII, and took a picture of me. They gave me two receipts - 1 for me to keep - and 1 to give to the Colonie PD. I also went to my local bank and got both of the 2 NYS Pistol Permit Applications notarized.

11APR2017 - Dropped of all the documentation above + proof of residency at my apartment with a utility bill. The Officer was up to date on which personal references have been received so far so it seems like he is definitely on top of his game.

28APR2017 - All references are in, all paperwork is in. Time to wait on what happens next. I bought a pistol and paid for it in full, it will be put on my application so that I do not have to wait for the amendment process when I get my permit.

 

[freddy]

Just spoke with a friend in Texas (where this thread would be very, very short)...

 

[freddy]

4MAY2016 - Drove to store. Bought pistol. Went shooting at the range.

 

[stanj0]

4MAY2016 - Drove to store. Bought pistol. Went shooting at the range.

I lived in Wyoming, I know how it goes in other states.

 

[Retired MSG]

Why in God's name would you have to friend a police officer on FB to get a pistol permit? That seems like an invasion of privacy

 

[stanj0]

Why in God's name would you have to friend a police officer on FB to get a pistol permit? That seems like an invasion of privacy

That's how Colonie is running the show now. I don't agree with it.

 

[Retired MSG]

Would it have produced a denial if you refused? How did he justify asking you to do that?

 

[stanj0]

Would it have produced a denial if you refused?

Don't know the official answer to that, my opinion to your question would be a yes though.

 

[Retired MSG]

That just sucks, sorry to hear the hoops they have you going through. I thought Onondaga county was bad

 

[Criticalt]

Dang, alot of you guys have it rough.
Its amazing how different each county is.
Where I live there is no meeting with anyone and none of my references were even contacted.
As long as you pass the "eligibility" requirements, you get an unrestricted permit here.
I realize this is the second time today that ive rubbed in how easy it is to get a permit here, sorry.

And just think, we have the same amount of people with permits committing crimes as other counties.......zero.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Dang, alot of you guys have it rough.
Its amazing how different each county is.
Where I live there is no meeting with anyone and none of my references were even contacted.
As long as you pass the "eligibility" requirements, you get an unrestricted permit here.
I realize this is the second time today that ive rubbed in how easy it is to get a permit here, sorry.

And just think, we have the same amount of people with permits committing crimes as other counties.......zero.

I'm not even sure its a county thing with the FB request. I think Watervliet does this as well, but I'm not sure about the rest of Albany county it may be just a local thing. In Rensselaer for instance, the Town of East Greenbush makes you file through their police department and where as the rest of the county gets fingerprinted at the Sheriff's Dept., in EG you have to go to a third party and pay another $100 or so. No other towns in the county do that.

 

[freddy]

That's how Colonie is running the show now. I don't agree with it.

Facebook requirement is to see what kind of company you keep?

 

[stanj0]

Facebook requirement is to see what kind of company you keep?

Yes exactly. It's also to see what kind of things you have been posting on your wall. It's also a great way for the Colonie investigator to keep tabs on you for up to 1 year to see if you are liking/submitting inappropriate material. For me I don't really care, I am Military and have 0 expectation of privacy due to the OPM security clearance process. That being said, our founding fathers would not have been searching through the personal correspondence of Citizens to allow pistol ownership during the 18th century, why should we allow Facebook investigating in modern times?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

One more reason to stay off the social network grid. I mostly regret getting involved with FB because of how invasive it is and how it's become a tool to be used against you instead of one for free expression. My only reason for keeping my account is to keep lines of communication open with old friends and the like. I'm very rarely on there anymore but people can still contact me through it.

 

[Justincase]

Dang, alot of you guys have it rough.
Its amazing how different each county is.
Where I live there is no meeting with anyone and none of my references were even contacted.
As long as you pass the "eligibility" requirements, you get an unrestricted permit here.
I realize this is the second time today that ive rubbed in how easy it is to get a permit here, sorry.

And just think, we have the same amount of people with permits committing crimes as other counties.......zero.

Niagara county is like four months beginning to end, and it's only twenty or so miles from where I am. So, I could sell my current house, buy another one, close on it, get the official change of address, and still get a permit BEFORE I will get mine in Erie county.

 

[Criticalt]

Niagara county is like four months beginning to end, and it's only twenty or so miles from where I am. So, I could sell my current house, buy another one, close on it, get the official change of address, and still get a permit BEFORE I will get mine in Erie county.

Here in Chautauqua the ladies in the permit office apologize constantly for the 3-6 month wait from beginning to end of the process.
Even the letter from the judge telling you you got your permit starts with "we apologize for the delay".

 

[Big Mike]

Hey, friends. Colonie resident. Took safety course Jan 2016. Yadda yadda yadda, picked up permit last week. (restricted by Lynch- hunting and target). Approx 15 months. Time to shop.

 

[stanj0]

Hey, friends. Colonie resident. Took safety course Jan 2016. Yadda yadda yadda, picked up permit last week. (restricted by Lynch- hunting and target). Approx 15 months. Time to shop.

Would you mind giving us a little detail on how long each step took? Like a timeline.

 

[Big Mike]

Sure, no problem. Should have it collated by tomorrow evening.

 

[Big Mike]

Sorry for the delay, here’s our approximate timeline for Town of Colonie:


Week of 1/3/16 – we took permit class

Week of 1/10/16 – called separately for appointments.BTW, officer stated that we should have both come in at the same time, though that option was not offered when we scheduled. So take note if you are applying with spouse. Originally scheduled mid-June, but asked to be moved up if any time slots became vacant. Future applicants, make sure you do that, because:

Week of 3/13/16 – met with the permitting officer; separately, prints done (~$100)

Week of 3/27/16 – dropped off completed paperwork to permitting officer

Week of 4/18/16 – Wife met with the permitting officer; separately, prints done (~$100) –

Week of 5/1/16 – wife drops off paperwork

Week of 7/10/16 – permitting officer interviews at least 3 neighbors (that I am aware of)

Week of 7/17/16 – calls work supervisors and spouse

Week of 8/7/16 – CPD signs off and sends application Albany County

Week of 3/26/17 – receive letter from Albany County to report for hearing in front of judge

Week of 4/2/17 – hearing with judge (he calls us up individually)

Week of 4/16/17 – receive letter from Albany County to pick up permits


Both of our applications requested unrestricted permits. Both permits issued with restrictions (hunting & target).


Note: in response to my question to judge about removal of restrictions in the future based on training, education, and time of possession, judge stated “no, you still need to show cause, regardless of those other factors”

 

[stanj0]

Sorry for the delay, here’s our approximate timeline for Town of Colonie:


Week of 1/3/16 – we took permit class

Week of 1/10/16 – called separately for appointments.BTW, officer stated that we should have both come in at the same time, though that option was not offered when we scheduled. So take note if you are applying with spouse. Originally scheduled mid-June, but asked to be moved up if any time slots became vacant. Future applicants, make sure you do that, because:

Week of 3/13/16 – met with the permitting officer; separately, prints done (~$100)

Week of 3/27/16 – dropped off completed paperwork to permitting officer

Week of 4/18/16 – Wife met with the permitting officer; separately, prints done (~$100) –

Week of 5/1/16 – wife drops off paperwork

Week of 7/10/16 – permitting officer interviews at least 3 neighbors (that I am aware of)

Week of 7/17/16 – calls work supervisors and spouse

Week of 8/7/16 – CPD signs off and sends application Albany County

Week of 3/26/17 – receive letter from Albany County to report for hearing in front of judge

Week of 4/2/17 – hearing with judge (he calls us up individually)

Week of 4/16/17 – receive letter from Albany County to pick up permits


Both of our applications requested unrestricted permits. Both permits issued with restrictions (hunting & target).


Note: in response to my question to judge about removal of restrictions in the future based on training, education, and time of possession, judge stated “no, you still need to show cause, regardless of those other factors”

Thanks for posting, much appreciated. It's sad to see that Albany County was the biggest bottle neck in the process. Colonie does all the leg work with the investigation, and Albany County sits on it...when all they have to do is paperwork.

 

[stanj0]

07JUNE2017 - I shipped a handgun I owned out of state to my FFL in New York. I E-Mailed the Colonie Officer the receipt and he said he would add it to my application. If my permit is approved I will already have 2 Pistols on it, less work for the Albany Town Clerk down the line I guess. The Albany County FFL told me that it would only be a month or two until I received my letter from the Albany County Clerk. This surprised me as it has only been 2 months since all of my paperwork has been in, I was figuring I would be waiting another 10 months. I'll keep the thread updated.

 

[stanj0]

26JULY2017 - The Colonie investigator contacted me asking if all of my information was still correct. He called my boss of my current job, my last job, job before that, my girlfriend, and my Aunt so far. He said his investigation will take about a week due to field interviews, I imagine this means he will want to talk to my direct neighbors. If there are no problems the Albany County Clerk should be getting my application in two weeks.

 

[stanj0]

21AUG2017 - I called the Colonie investigator and he told me that the only step for the Colonie PD left was for the Chief of Police to sign off on the application. I imagine by the end of the week it will head to Albany County.

 

[stanj0]

General Note: I have been keeping up with other timelines and it seems that the Colonie police investigation is relatively consistent. What causes some Albany county residents to have quicker processing times than others is because of the judges. There are some "traveling judges" that get assigned to pistol permits and they do not get back to Albany county very often to process permits, this may be the reason why some get their permits relatively fast...and others seem to take forever.

 

[Doc8404]

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[stanj0]

25AUG2017 - The application is done with Colonie...now onto the Albany County Clerk's office. I am praying for a quick judge. If I have a good judge I should be seeing a letter near the middle/end of September - with an appointment to see the Judge in Late September.

 

[Darth]

"Hecalled my boss of my current job, my last job, job before that, my girlfriend, and my Aunt so far. "

AYFKM!?

Sorry, but that is outrageous. Like, comically absurd.

 

[stanj0]

"Hecalled my boss of my current job, my last job, job before that, my girlfriend, and my Aunt so far. "

AYFKM!?

Sorry, but that is outrageous. Like, comically absurd.

It is what it is

 

[stanj0]

"Hecalled my boss of my current job, my last job, job before that, my girlfriend, and my Aunt so far. "

AYFKM!?

Sorry, but that is outrageous. Like, comically absurd.

He did ask my Girl Friend if I physically abused her, and my Aunt/Bosses if I was a drug user...which I found comical. You would think a guy with a security clearance from the Government would be given the benefit of the doubt...but I guess not!