The seriousness of what she’s doing should absolutely not be under estimated.

Absolutely this.

There’s criminal offences being committed there, so gross misconduct, straight to dismissal, do not pass go……

This would be instant dismissal in any company I’ve ever worked in.

At my current employer, a bank, i imagine I’d be facing an awful lot worse than just
being sacked

Office bants innit 🤷‍♂️

Colleague is a dick. Should be firmly told this and told to hand the firearm into the police, on the assumption this won’t happen and contrition will not immediately follow (because colleague is a dick), should be promptly referred to the police. As Polly says, they will be unlikely to take a kind view of it, management an even dimmer view of a police visit, such that at the very least should be sufficient to see said colleague removed from post and at least temporarily improve the workplace considerably.

works in a place where a colleague discovered a decommissioned firearm in a works archive.

I think the important question here is, what sort of work place has this sort of stuff in an archive? Ours is full of old fax machines and stuff.

Get her to read this or better call the police and ask them to come and collect it for destruction

.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019/0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019#notification-of-transfer-or-possession-of-deactivated-firearms

What sort of workplace has a decommissioned firearm in the archive?

What sort of workplace has a decommissioned firearm in the archive?

I can’t help but think it’s likely to be a museum, university or the like, you know, something with public access, where being seen waving a firearm around is likely to end up making national news for all the wrong reasons.

I just hope the idiot colleague isn’t non white and bearded.

And do we actually know yet if it HAS been decommissioned?

That’s bonkers, and agree with poly.

Do it too often , in the wrong place outside your office and the consequences can get worse than being fired.

What an utter moron

You know the saying “Guns for show, knifes for a pro…”

https://66.media.tumblr.com/a9f42b32503472ac1bb6f63900ef7b9f/tumblr_inline_p4w476xLOX1r9wm7d_500.png

Do it too often , in the wrong place outside your office and the consequences can get worse than being fired.

Once, anywhere, has the potential for those consequences to actually be someone being shot and killed.

There is no right place, no acceptable amount of times.

Print off Section 5 of the Firearms Act and leave it on her desk, that should hopefully scare her into handing it in to the police

This is the best bit of advice yet.

Set it in jelly.

This is almost as good.

Also; you might want to be mindful of the fact that not reporting it might in itself constitute a crime. Joint enterprise? That might only apply if you’re a Black kid who just happens to live in the same town as a suspect though…

A gentle reminder that firearms offences carry a minimum of five years in jail, might be the nudge the woman needs…

(if it’s in a workplace where this just seen as bants, maybe one afternoon, hire a few actors to dress up in balaclavas and dark combats, charge into the office, rugby tackle her, cable tie her wrists, hood and then drag her outside with little concern for anything but speed.
Obviously video it, then stick it on YouTube as “this idiot kept a gun in her desk, you’ll never guess what happens next”)

If I was in the office, the next time she pulls it out I’d pretend to be fascinated and ask to have a closer look, and once she’d handed it over I’d immediately turn tail and march straight to HR with it, although not waving it about as I go! Maybe put it in a bag or something, and ask them to have a word with her about her conduct. It’s not hers, so you’re not stealing it etc. I’m assuming she’s young and immature, and thinks that it’s appropriate or funny. Her understanding of acceptability needs to be realigned.
If she’s good at her job and maybe hard to replace short-term it’d be a shame to see her sacked, although personally I wouldn’t want to be working around such a complete tw@.
I think involving the Police could end up with her being turned into a teabag, and I’m not sure that’s in anyone’s best interests.

Harry, this someone you’re close to should either:
– contact police direct and ‘request’ they visit to remove gun
or
– have a word with idiot waving gun around and explain it should be handed in to police and evidenced
I don’t see any other acceptable option.
Employer’s HR should be made aware.

I’ll have a word this evening.

I’m assuming she’s young and immature, and thinks that it’s appropriate or funny. Her understanding of acceptability needs to be realigned.

The “waver” is in her 60s!

Big pre-inflated paper bag on a nearby desk. Burst loudly next time it makes an appearance.

Begs the question, as junior managers have failed to deal with this robustly, why have senior staff not been informed?

Or, option 3: The person you are close to should speak directly with their own manager/HR and inform them that there is an unsafe/intimidating behavior in the office and they and other colleagues don’t feel comfortable working until its dealt with.

Management should deal with it to the letter of any internal policies that apply, which i would expect to vary dependent on the type of business being perpetrated. Gross misconduct as a minimum from where i work, could lead to dismissal and any further action being sought by the police.

Unless it’s the boss with the gun in the drawer, in which case, run!

Begs the question, as junior managers have failed to deal with this robustly, why have senior staff not been informed?

A few of them were out last night and apparently the conversation went along the lines of “Guess what **** has started doing!”.

Unless it’s the boss with the gun in the drawer

She’s Elon Musk in disguise and I claim my £1 luncheon voucher.

All these daily mail fascists wanting her dismissed. Loss of job, unable to pay mortgage, bills etc. Could even end up homeless and destitute.

Get a grip of yourselves ffs.

Seriously though, maybe when somebody in their 60s starts waving a firearm around they have an underlying mental health condition, to think that’s appropriate. My neighbour, although not tooled up, has started behaving very irrationally in recent years due to her mental health.

maybe when somebody in their 60s starts waving a firearm around they have an underlying mental health condition

Or maybe not. People do daft things, it doesn’t have to be more than that. Don’t ascribe fictional conditions to a situation you know nothing about, as this doesn’t help anybody.

All these daily mail fascists wanting her dismissed.

I don’t think anyone is wanting her to be dismissed, but a lot of people have pointed out that it would be a likely consequence if they did the same – and I know I’d be out the door without my heels touching the floor if I tried something like that. I’d say the person doing the waving should maybe be encouraged quietly to think damn carefully about their own future (though apparently they aren’t) and knock it off, and if they don’t then it goes to HR to see how appropriate they think that behaviour is.

No actual description from the OP, but I’ll hazard a guess this is probably one of these old flintlock types you used to see mounted on a plaque and sold out of argos

I know I’d be out the door without my heels touching the floor

Why would you only be walking on the balls of your feet? 🤔

I’m going to go against the flow here and say it might be worth a more subtle intervention to start with. Then escalate if necessary. The behaviour is clearly wrong on many levels and needs to be addressed. But it is possible, is it not, that this lady in her sixties is perhaps just a little naive? Unaware of the alarm she is causing and the potential repercussions. Maybe, just maybe baying for her instant dismissal for gross misconduct or calling in the SWAT team to ‘brass her up’ in the tea room is going nuclear a bit too early?😉

How about an interview (without coffee) with her manager,  confiscate the offending item and hand it in to the police. If she’s contrite, apologetic and otherwise a good employee of long standing then perhaps a bollocking might suffice?

Dons a tin hat and takes cover before the STW massive calls in an airstrike on bloke towers for dissent.

Why would you only be walking on the balls of your feet?

I meant more like:

… but quicker.

Her heels are touching the floor…

🤣

I don’t think anyone is calling for SWAT. There’s no daily mail fascists that I can see. It’s an indication of a possible outcome given the seriousness of what’s happening. The police don’t like firearms that much.

She needs to be told quite FIRMLY & be under NO illusion as to how improper her actions are, how they have impacted others & the implications for her if she continues. Then be given the chance to deal with it herself PROMPTLY by contacting the police or taking it DIRECTLY to a station. Hanging on to the weapon (regardless of it’s status deactivated or not, replica or real) is a highly questionable act & could have very serious consequences.

edit: I’d also add she apologise to all who may have found her actions unsettling. A bit of public contrition can be humbling & useful. It will also help build bridges & restore her reputation. If it were me in that office I’d be more than just a little bit angry…guns are no fing joke.

I don’t think anyone is calling for SWAT.

My post was intended to be light hearted, hence the wink smiley but…..

police armed response unit!

.

Armed response flashbang the room and pile in.

Surely this is a have a word with her and the boss – the gun has to be considered properly. If it is a museum or show piece, then dispose of to a collector. If not, hand in to the polce.

It has no place in a workplace, unless you are a Stalker, farmer etc…

I don’t think anyone is wanting her to be dismissed

Well this kind of sounds like one member at least is calling for her dismissal. Of course it could be tongue in cheek… 😆

Absolutely this.

There’s criminal offences being committed there, so gross misconduct, straight to dismissal, do not pass go……

Surely this is a have a word with her and the boss – the gun has to be considered properly. If it is a museum or show piece, then dispose of to a collector. If not, hand in to the polce.

The ultimate arbitrator of the guns status & whether she can keep it or not will be the police I think. Therefore they should be the first port of call.

Firing offence… ;0)

Firing offence… ;0)

Both barrels for that joke.

Jokes need to be of a higher calibre… 🙄

Well this kind of sounds like one member at least is calling for her dismissal.

I wouldn’t call for her dismissal, I just wouldn’t be surprised if she was dismissed if what she is doing is a firearms offense.

Most workplaces would fire someone who committed a serious offense in the workplace, even if it was ‘harmless banter’.

I’d imagine most DM fascists would be very upset if she were fired (PC gone mad, back in my day, etc…). That’s assuming she’s white, of course. If she’s not then the average DM fascist would demand she be immediately shot in the head and dismissed without notice for bringing gun crime to this country (never used to have to lock your door, back in my day, etc…)

Came here for the ‘Renholm shoots himself’ clip and was not disappointed. 🙂