Police not responsible

On the contrary, Ag ASP Grant said that for this year alone, 545 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been removed from the hands of criminals.

He said the police can only do that which it is empowered to do and other agencies must play their part in the fight against crime.

Grant said that for 2016, the TTPS embarked on a violence reduction strategy in keeping with policies laid out in its Operational Plan 2016.

He relayed that the strategy involved the sharpening of key units responsible for the seizure of firearms, investigations into the trade as well as their prosecution.

Grant also explained that the target for the period January 1 to date, for the seizure of firearms as stipulated by the Ag Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams, is 690. “The TT Police Service has seized thus far, 545 firearms and 16,671 rounds of assorted ammunition.” He said 128 revolvers, 263 pistols, 64 shotguns, eight sub machine guns, 26 rifles, eight air rifles, 40 homemade shotguns, four trap guns and other items deemed as firearms which include flare guns, were seized.

He added that 187 rounds of 12-gauge cartridges, 62 12 gauge cartridges, 807 rounds of .38, 294 rounds of .45, 244 rounds of 9mm, 1,276 rounds of 7.62, 6,654 rounds of .22, 1,516 rounds of 5.56, 14 rounds of .35, 11 rounds of .380, 33 rounds of .32, 53 rounds of .25, 230 rounds of .270 and 4,432 rounds of .40 ammunition were seized.

For the comparative period of January 1 to September 14, 2015, 450 firearms and 6,575 rounds of assorted ammunition were seized which represents a 32 percent increase with respect to firearms seized and 153.6 percent increase in ammunition seized. Information and intelligence coming to the TT Police Service is that most illegal firearms and ammunition in Trinidad and Tobago originate from the South American mainland and then North America.

Grant said the TTPS’ success in the removal of illegal firearms and ammunition could not have been accomplished without the cooperation and hard work of field patrol officers, divisional task forces and criminal investigation department officers. He noted that increased patrols in crime hot spots have helped to restore the public’s confidence in the TTPS. Asked why more illegal firearms and ammunition have not been seized, Ag ASP Grant said the TTPS can only do its part and relies on information and intelligence received from other security agencies.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is not responsible for our borders and our coastlines.

“We rely on information and intelligence to find these firearms and ammunitions and to take them off the street,” Grant said. In an address to the nation on Sunday last, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley urged the TTPS to up the ante in its fight against crime especially since billions of dollars are given to National Security (including the TTPS).

In May, Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon said that a specialised advisory team had been set up to design an appropriate framework for the proposed Border Protection Unit.

“The team comprises experienced professionals in the security and management discipline,” Dillon said. In addition to retired Ag CoP James Philbert, the team comprises Fitzroy John (chairman) — a retired Comptroller of Customs and Excise; Kent Moore — former Group Captain of the Air Guard and Coast Guard and Ramesh Lutchmedial Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Efforts to reach Minister Dillon for a comment yesterday proved futile.