2 held with police uniform, illegal gun

POLICE are calling for regimental numbers to be put on police operational wear after two Morvant men were held with a gun and police-marked clothing, including a bulletproof vest, on Wednesday.

In a four-hour-long exercise co-ordinated by Snr Supt Winston Maharaj in various parts of Morvant, police recovered marijuana, a gun and the police apparel.

During the exercise, which included Supts Ramjohn and Alexander as well as ASP Beharry, Insp Bharath, sergeants Ramsingh and Norton and PC Ball, police held the men, 25 and 27. Police seized a Tanfoglio pistol with 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 1,100 grams of marijuana, a police-issued bulletproof vest, three police T-shirts and a police cap.

Officers told Newsday the find is worrying and believe police-issued clothing should have some identification marks on it to better track how people were getting them.

Head of the police service Social and Welfare Association Insp Gideon Dickson agreed there needs to be a better way to account for police-issued clothing.

"We will support anything that will show accountability and transparency," Dickson said, adding that there is an internal process in which officers are made to sign as having received their kits.

He said police should investigate how police apparel ends up in the hands of citizens. He said gone are the days of police officers hanging police-issued clothes on their clothing line. He said the suggestion of regimental numbers on the clothing is a good idea but "sometimes these things will wash off."