CoP agrees to return ex-soldier's guns

POLICE Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher has agreed to return three licensed firearms to a former soldier who served on the security detail for former police commissioner Gary Griffith.

The ex-soldier, who was made a special reserve corporal, was permitted in March to challenge Harewood-Christopher’s decision to vary his FUL (firearm user’s licence), taking back three weapons and leaving him with only one.

On March 22, Justice Jacqueline Wilson permitted the ex-soldier.

Earlier in October, the police service's legal department informed the ex-solder that he could retrieve his seized firearms once he collected his new duplicate booklet with the various insertions.

He did so last Wednesday.

In his lawsuit, the ex-soldier said he was first granted a FUL on November 13, 2018.

He purchased a Sig Sauer pistol after. Between September 2019 and 2021, he received variations for the rifle, shotgun, two pistols, and ammunition.

In August 2021, he sold one of the pistols to a Coast Guard officer and applied for a firearm disposal permit. In July 2022, he was told by an officer at the Morvant Police Station to bring his FUL, firearms and ammunition. He did so, the items were seized and he was told it was on instruction from the commissioner.

After various demands for an explanation, he said he was no longer pursuing the disposal permit. In January 2023, he was told to visit the Chaguanas police station and was given a letter informing him of the commissioner’s variation of his FUL.

He was given a duplicate FUL and only his Sig Sauer pistol. He was then told the variation was pending the outcome of an investigation surrounding the variation and approvals. In April 2023, he sought information on any report on the four firearms and his removal from his duty post at the police administration building.

He was told of an investigation by the commissioner on variations and approvals for FULs.

In February, the ex-soldier's attorneys, Kiel Taklalsingh and Keron Ramkhalwhan, demanded the return of his firearms and ammunition and a reversal of the variation on the FUL.

His lawsuit contended the continued detention of his firearms and ammunition was unlawful. It said the commissioner cannot vary a FUL indefinitely without any intention to exercise her power.

“Further, even if she is allowed to so vary, the Commissioner of Police cannot vary on the condition that she did ‘pending investigation’ and unreasonably delay or fail to reconsider the variation.

“Further, the decision to vary cannot be arbitrary and/or a high-handed and/or oppressive exercise of discretion.”

He said he has never been interviewed or given an explanation for the variation.

“There is no good reason to vary the said licence and the Commissioner of Police has advanced none.”

Faith Walke and Tsonda Gayle represented the commissioner.