An acting superintendent and a sergeant who were detained as part of an ongoing probe into allegations of corruption in the issuing of Firearm User’s Licenses (FULs), have been charged with misbehaviour in public office.
A statement from the TTPS around midnight Friday said Director of Public prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard ordered that Assistant Superintendent Aaron Beddoe be jointly charged with Sgt David Swanson with one count of misbehaviour in public office to wit conspiring together with other persons by approving several variation letters to facilitate the purchase of firearm and/or ammunition without lawful authority.
The TTPS said Beddoe was also charged with six counts of misbehaviour in
public office to wit by approving variation of Firearm Users License without lawful authority.
Swanson was also charged with nine counts of misbehaviour in public office to wit by approving variation Firearm Users License without lawful authority.
Beddoe, 56, of Riverside Road, Curepe, who was last attached to the North-Central Division David Swanson, 45, of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, who was last attached to the Firearms Permit Unit, were arrested during an exercise on Tuesday after extensive enquires were conducted by the Financial Investigations Bureau (FIB) and Professional Standards Bureau (PSB).
According to police reports, between February 2021 and April 2021, Beddoe, being the First Division Officer in charge of the Firearms Permit Unit, together with Sgt Swanson, who was acting in the capacity of an Inspector of Police at the Firearms Permit Unit, allegedly approved several variation approval letters and minutes for Firearm Users Licenses without lawful authority.
The TTPS said investigations are still continuing as the team of officers are to again approach the Director of Public Prosecutions with respect to other offences.
The exercise, conducted by the Financial Investigations Bureau (FIB) and
Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) was coordinated and headed by Senior Superintendent Wendell Lucas and Superintendent Suzette Martin, supervised by Inspector Mc Kenzie, Sgt (Ag.) Mohammed and Sgt Samuel, Cpl Pinder, and Cpl Bissessar.
Earlier on Friday, attorney Dereck Balliram, who is representing one of the officers, threatened to file a habeas corpus lawsuit if he was not released from custody by 3 pm.
Guardian Media understands that Police Service legal officer Adita Ramdular responded to the correspondence around 4 pm and called on Balliram to hold off on filing the lawsuit until detectives of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) completed their investigation.
Ramdular had said that investigators were meeting with Gaspard for advice on possible charges.
“Therefore, in the circumstances please allow us the ample ability to complete this specified process and lay the relevant charges, so advised,” Ramdular said.
Ramdular did not reveal the possible charges the officer had been facing but Guardian Media understands that it would have been related to misbehaviour in public office.
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, was 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.”
Jacob also confirmed that the TTPS was conducting a criminal investigation in relation to 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.
