Hinds; 38 pepper spray licences approved

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says a a total of 38 people have received pepper spray licences for their individual use since the implementation of firearms amendments legislation to approve the use of pepper spray as a non-lethal weapon as protection against criminals.

He made the statement in response to a question from Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards in the Senate on Tuesday.

Since the legislation was implemented in 2021, Hinds said there were 517 applications for pepper spray licences as at October 12.

Those included 110 (importers) 23 (retailers/distributors) and 384 (individual users).

Out of this number, 50 licences were approved

Those included eight importers (six males, two females), four retailers/distributors (three male, one female) and 38 individual users (15 males, 28 females).

Richards asked whether police were ensuring that people who were granted pepper spray licences knew how to properly use it.

Hinds replied affirmatively.

"I am confident that the Commissioner of Police, in administering this law, would do so in accordance with the laws and the regulations that surround them."

Hinds was also confident the police were dealing with illegal importation of pepper spray.

"I would expect that to be the case because it is the business of the police to prevent crimes and other infractions of the law."

In response to another question from Richards, Hinds said the police had approximately 349 working vehicles in the September 2022- 2023 period.

He reiterated that Government was in the process of acquiring new vehicles for the police, defence force and prison service.

Hinds admitted that maintenance of certain national security assets was not the best in previous years.

He said Government was working to improve that.

Hinds also provided the Senate with a breakdown of working police vehicles by division.

Working police vehicles in each division, September 2022-2023:

Central: 50

Northern: 38

North Central: 32

Eastern : 28

North Eastern: 17

Port-of-Spain: 17

Southern : 37

South Western: 21

Tobago : 84

Western: 25