CoP defends FUL background checks… says guns shared like nuts under previous executives

Senior Reporter

[email protected]

Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro is urging applicants for firearm user’s licences (FULs) to be patient as the necessary background checks, investigations and processes are completed, noting that while they are free to apply for a permit, they are not entitled to automatically receive one.

Guevarro made the remarks while responding to questions from participants during the open floor session at Conversations with the Commissioner, a forum hosted by the T&T Chamber of Commerce yesterday.

He noted that mechanisms were structured to ensure the FULs were issued to people who were in need of them the most, while also observing security protocols to minimise the possibility of the weapons being misused.

Referring to an application he received last month from a farmer who claimed he needed an FUL to destroy pests on his parcel of agricultural land, Guevarro said this application was denied when a site visit by the investigator revealed the man’s property consisted of five acres of bamboo. He said he questioned what type of pests would require a firearm in such a scenario.

Guevarro said while some applications usually took as little as seven months to process before an FUL was granted, others took longer, depending on how quickly applicants provided the required documents.

However, he insisted that this was an important part of the FUL approval process, referring to a situation in the recent past where weapons were provided seemingly automatically with little oversight.

Without referring to any particular police commissioner, Guevarro said even persons who already had permits for one gun were still subject to background checks and investigations if they applied for more.

“Not because you have an FUL already means we give you a gun you know … That was one of the issues in one of the audit reports, that gun was sharing like nuts! That is craziness,” he said.

“A man make an application, in seven months’ time he get 12 guns without an investigation… I telling you, I don’t hold water in my mouth to talk the truth.

“No investigation in that file … so he just applying and getting approval. What is the reason you want 12 guns? You’re Rambo?”

Guevarro referred to earlier comments where he appealed to the public and acknowledged there was a backlog of FUL applications, but urged people not to clog the system by applying for firearm permits unless there was an urgent need for personal protection.

Responding to an incident where an unsuccessful FUL applicant posted his application form on social media, Guevarro said factors considered before granting a permit were whether the applicant was in immediate danger, whether they were a victim of crime, or if they were involved in moving large sums of cash.

Guevarro also reported that in a bid to maintain the integrity of the approval process, the FUL permit section was removed from the T&T Police Service Administration Building to another location. This, he said, should remove the perception that he was involved in any aspect of the vetting process, adding that files only arrived at his desk at the very last stage.

Contacted for comment on the CoP’s claims yesterday, former police commissioner Gary Griffith challenged Guevarro to go into further details and reveal the name of the person, who he claimed acquired 12 guns.

Despite not being explicitly mentioned by Guevarro, Griffith took issue with the CoP’s remarks over the claims of minimal regulation in the FUL application process previously, contending that it was not unusual for firearms trainers to have more than one weapon in their possession.

“Call the name of the person who got it (the guns), because there were over 20 to 25 people that had over ten firearms before I was commissioner of police, but he didn’t have a problem then and he was in the police service for decades before me.

“If someone is a firearms trainer, he must have about 15 different firearms; there will be other owners who may be owners of a company with ten different businesses and that person may need businesses for his security officers to have. Just by that comment made by that Commissioner, it shows he is intimidated by my track record.”

Griffith also questioned the accuracy of the information contained in the Firearms Audit report.

Referring to the government’s enthusiasm in introducing stand-your-ground legislation that would allow homeowners to defend themselves and others from criminals, even with lethal force, Griffith accused Guevarro of adopting a stance that was inconsistent with the Government.

“You can’t stand your ground with a pillow,” Griffith said.

Guardian Media attempted to contact former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley, who, in the past, had raised concerns about the issuance of FULs during Griffith’s tenure, but was unsuccessful up to press time.