Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) complaint form

This form can help you make a complaint to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) about a Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) that has been made against you or someone in your family or community.

The LECC is an independent organisation that oversees policing in NSW and investigates when police have done the wrong thing. 

The LECC is currently running a ‘preliminary’ investigation into how police use FPOs on young people. This means they are trying to figure out if there is a problem with how police use FPOs and whether they should do a bigger investigation. They may decide to write a report about how police are using FPOs, and make recommendations about how things should change.

Complaints made to the LECC will help them understand any problems with how police are using FPOs against young people and how FPOs impact the lives of targeted people and communities.

What is a Firearms Prohibition Order?

An FPO is an order NSW Police can make to prevent someone having a ‘firearm’. It gives police extra search powers and means that extra fines or jail time apply if that person gets a firearm, or does certain other things related to firearms. ‘Firearms’ include gun parts and ammunition (bullets), as well as things like replica guns, BB guns and gel blasters.

Police can make an FPO against someone even if they have never committed a firearms offence.

An FPO does not expire. It stays in place unless police remove it. There are ways to challenge your FPO but this can be a long and difficult process. 

Read our factsheet for more information about FPOs.

Make a complaint

You can make a complaint to the LECC by completing this form and emailing a copy to Lucy Kelley, Lawyer at the Justice and Equity Centre, at [email protected]. Lucy will lodge your complaint on your behalf.

Lucy will treat your information confidentially. 

If you would prefer to lodge the complaint yourself, complete the ‘Make a complaint’ form on the LECC’s website and include this document as an attachment in Section 3.

Why your story matters

If you make a complaint to the LECC:

• your experience can help the LECC understand how FPOs are being used on young people, and help them decide if they should do a bigger investigation and make recommendations about how things should change.

• the LECC may send your complaint to police for further investigation. If you do not want your complaint sent to police, you can say that in the form. Your complaint can still help the LECC understand the problems with FPOs, even if you say you do not want your complaint sent to police.

• the LECC may write a report at the end of its ‘preliminary’ investigation or its bigger investigation if it decides to do one. They may include stories about people who have made complaints, like you. If your story is included, your name and any other details that might identify you will not be used.

• the LECC can make recommendations telling police about how things should change. Police should consider those recommendations, but they do not have to follow them. 

What this form cannot do

Making a complaint to the LECC will not remove or cancel the FPO that has been made against you, your family or community member. The LECC does not have the power to get rid of an FPO.

To speak to a lawyer about your FPO

To speak to a lawyer about your FPO, contact Redfern Legal Centre by calling 9698 7277 or complete the online form on their website.

Redfern Legal Centre can provide advice about whether you might be able to challenge your FPO by writing to the Police or going to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). However, it is unlikely that Redfern Legal Centre will be able to provide ongoing assistance or legal representation in NCAT.