Every application for a firearm users licence (FUL) will be assessed on its merit.
That’s the assurance given by Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher.
Her statement follows calls for applications by registered farmers for FULs to be expedited in light of an increase in praedial larceny.
In a GML interview, the top cop said she was concerned about the prevalence and management of legal and illegal firearms.
“The answer to our crime problem is not the arming of the populace. Firearm confrontation is not the way out of our situation,” she said.
Harewood-Christopher added that more proactive crime prevention approaches are needed across a broad spectrum of society involving all the stakeholders.
“The initiatives must begin by critically addressing the triggers of crime in preference to having to treat with the commission of crime. The TTPS is focused on building its capacity and its capability and will continue to get better at discharging its law enforcement responsibilities of prevention, detection and prosecuting crime,” she said.
She maintained that the processing of FUL applications had resumed and each application will be evaluated on its merit.
“We now have a much more robust investigative process to treat with the problems we have had in that area. So, firearms licences are being issued and will continue to be issued in accordance with that approval process.”