Weeks after two senior police officers were detained by officers of the T&T Police Service’s Professional Standards Bureau, another senior police officer has been detained in connection with allegations of misbehaviour in public office.
Guardian Media understands that an assistant Commissioner of Police was detained following information received by investigators that he allegedly corruptly issued a Firearm Users License and a siren for his car to a member of the T&T Defence Force.
Earlier this month, an acting assistant superintendent and a sergeant were also interviewed in connection with allegations of corruption concerning the granting of FULs.
The two senior officers were taken into custody on May 3 to assist investigators who are currently probing allegations of corruption in the Firearm Section of the T&TPS.
Police sources yesterday told Guardian Media that the allegations stemmed from the ongoing audit in the granting of firearms licenses in the section.
Late last year, it was revealed that a full and comprehensive audit would be conducted into the process used by the TTPS to issue firearms dating back decades. Since it started, the Firearms Registry remains closed. However, FUL holders have been placed on notice that the licenses can be rescinded if any wrongdoing is unearthed.
A six-member team, comprising three retired officers and three serving officers, were given three months in which 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, in noting why the probe was started, said it was against a backdrop of “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 they were also conducting a criminal investigation as it relates to the firearms within the country. He said it was decided that a thorough audit be done so they would know what exactly has been going on in the division.