Police Commissioner Assures Public: Over 50,000 Firearm Files Remain Intact
Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro is assuring the public that more than 50,000 Firearm Users’ Licence (FUL) files remain intact, despite damage caused by a ruptured fire suppression system at the Police Administrative Building in Port of Spain.
A media release from the TTPS on Monday evening said the rupture caused damage to critical records held by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, including FUL files. The incident occurred on the sixth floor of the building following a series of power outages and fire alarm activations across multiple floors.
Commissioner Guevarro spoke to TTT News and assured that the FUL files are safe.
« The 55,000-plus firearm files are safe and are unaffected. They are securely housed at the Firearms Permit Unit. The only firearm files affected were those brought to my office for weekly adjudication, so there’s no need for panic. Your applications are safe. We are currently reviewing the damaged documents to determine what can be salvaged, and we will be reaching out to affected applicants and asking them to contact the Firearms Permit Unit so that we can reconcile their files. »
Commissioner Guevarro said the building has been plagued with electrical issues for some time.
« It’s not a modern facility. We are operating with just one lift. The central air conditioning system does not function in most areas, and something as simple as staff using microwaves during lunch breaks causes low voltage problems. Just this past Sunday we had a full shutdown from 7am to 7pm while T&TEC worked to resolve that situation. »
