The Office of the Police Commissioner is about to be sued for its failure to return a firearm user’s license (FUL) to an East based businessman since 2021.
High Court Judge Ricky Rahim granted leave for Dirk Barnes to pursue his judicial review lawsuit over the delay.
Barnes, who is the chief executive officer of firearm dealership 868 Tactical Firearms and Accessories and security company Air Support Tactical Limited, was granted a FUL in August 2015.
In August 2020, he submitted his FUL to the then commissioner’s office as his security company made an application for a firearm disposal permit (FDP) in order to sell two licensed shotguns.
Barnes then submitted an application to vary his FUL a year later, in relation to five firearms. Having not received a response to the applications, Barnes sought to withdraw them in August, last year.
According to a GML report, Barnes claimed that while at the T&T Police Service Firearm Department office, he was told that his FUL could not be located and was advised to apply for a duplicate.
Months later, Barnes contacted the department to enquire about the duplicate. He claimed that he was told by an officer that the company’s FDP application from 2020 was not granted because it was being investigated as it was not signed by the Police Commissioner.
The officer also reportedly claimed that Barnes’ FUL was being withheld as a result of the investigation.
Barnes is seeking a declaration that the decision to withhold his FUL was illegal, irrational, and unreasonable.
The case is scheduled to come up for case management on May 23.
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