Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 17/Nov 19:37

Coast Guard officer gets provisional gun licence after 10-year delay

A Coast Guard officer who was permitted to challenge a nearly decade-long delay by the Commissioner of Police in deciding his application for a firearm user’s licence (FUL), has since received it. The officer, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, had been granted leave by Justice Karen Reid to pursue a judicial review claim, in which he alleged that the commissioner had breached a statutory duty by failing to process firearm licence applications from eligible, law-abiding citizens. Newsday understands that after receiving the provisional licence, the officer submitted his documents and now awaits his FUL. On November 17, attorneys for the TT Police Service’s legal unit advised that a decision was given by the current CoP on the provisional licence which the officer collected on October 29. A hearing of the matter scheduled for November 18 is expected to be vacated. The officer had applied for an FUL in 2015. A required police investigation was completed in 2016, and he provided all requested documentation. According to the claim, he was later told that the investigating officer had raised no objections, and that the application awaited a final decision from the commissioner. Despite repeated visits to the firearms permit unit and a 2023 e-mail stating the application was “under review,” no further action was taken. “There is no further action for the TTPS to complete before the issuance of the provisional licence,” the officer said in an affidavit. “The delay of approximately ten years by the CoP to render a decision is unreasonable.” He also criticised what he described as the commissioner’s restrictive interpretation of the Firearms Act and failure to allocate resources to expedite applications. He argued that this inaction compromises public safety and infringes on citizens’ right to self-defence. “The CoP has been provided sufficient time to complete any further investigation on the firearm file, and the provisional licence ought to be issued forthwith. “I have been investigated, and the necessary reports generated. The persistent and escalating rise in criminal activity is a matter of grave public concern.” He added, “The commissioner appears to be applying an unduly restrictive interpretation of the Firearms Act, while failing to allocate the necessary resources for the efficient and timely processing of firearm user licence applications. “This dereliction of duty exposes the public to heightened risks posed by criminal elements and constitutes a significant impediment to the lawful exercise of the right to self-defence and personal security. “I duly applied for a provisional licence and FUL and complied with all requirements to apply for the same, and I am therefore entitled to a decision on my application for a provisional licence.” He is represented by attorneys Keron Ramkhalwhan. The post Coast Guard officer gets provisional gun licence after 10-year delay appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.