An acting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and a sergeant have been detained by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) in connection with allegations of corruption.
Guardian Media understands that the two senior officers were taken into custody yesterday to assist investigators currently probing allegations of corruption in the Firearm Section of the T&T Police Service.
Police sources told Guardian Media that the allegations stemmed from the ongoing audit at that section in relation to the granting of Firearm Users Licenses (FUL).
Late last year, it was revealed that a full and comprehensive audit would be done into the process used by the Police Service to issue firearms.
Since it commenced, the Firearms Registry has remained closed. However, the holders of gun licenses have been placed on notice that they can be rescinded if any wrongdoing is unearthed.
In a Guardian Media article on November 30, 2021, it was reported that a six-member team, which comprised three retired police officers and three serving officers, were given three months to complete the audit and present their findings to the National Security Council, which is chaired by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
At a media briefing at the Ministry of National Security in Port-of-Spain on November 29, 2021, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds outlined the background against which this decision was taken, as he noted there was “public disquiet about the issues of licensing of firearms.”
The minister said the audit would provide a snapshot, “to see exactly where we are, how many licensed firearms are out there, how many variations, who has them, for what purposes, how much ammunition…these are matters that will be revealed in the audit.”
Acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob also confirmed that the TTPS was conducting a criminal investigation in relation to the firearms within the country. Jacob said it was decided that a thorough audit be done into the Firearms Section so they would know what exactly has been going on in that division.
Asked to say if current FUL holders could find their FULs being rescinded, Jacob said, “Definitely.”
He said Section 22 of the Firearms Act was clear on the aspect of recall as it related to firearms.
“If someone violates the use of that firearm as required, the firearm can also be seized by the police,” Jacob reportedly said then.
Jacob said there have always been positive and negative issues coming out of the Firearms Section and the speed with which some applications had been granted.