…….No one is really held accountable
By FRANCIS JOSEPH
The recent killing of a female police officer and the theft of a large cache of guns and ammunition from the San Fernando Municipal Police Headquarters should be a wake-up call for national security agencies.
Why?
This is not the first time that guns and ammunition have gone missing from law enforcement agencies. Records will show that in a number of instances, guns and ammunition went missing. Don’t forget that cocaine disappeared from a police station and the police blamed rats for it. Anybody was held responsible? The simple answer is no.
This is not a case of a alcohol or cigarettes gone missing. This is a case of guns, some high-powered, and ammunition, missing which certainly ended up in the hands of criminals. That means security personnel were responsible for the missing guns and ammunition and obviously, they were well-paid.
No one knows for sure how many guns and ammunition were stolen from the San Fernando Municipal Headquarters. Some say more than 100 guns are missing, but no one is certain. How long have these guns been missing?
The big question here, and throughout the security agencies is – was a a regular audit done to know the status of all weapons within the Municipal Police Departments? It is clear that that was not happening.
Sunshine Today looks at certain instances where weapons and ammunition went missing:
* On June 22, 2009, then Minister of National Security, Martin Joseph, disclossed in Parliament that drugs, guns and even a vehicle went missing from police stations over the previous two years.
Then Independent Senator Gail Merhair had asked Joseph to provide the missing items from the evidence rooms of police stations during the period January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2009.
Joseph responded to items missing:
22 foil packets containing creamish, rock-like solids said to be cocaine;
9 mm pistol and magazine;
six Sig Sauer firearms, ammunition;
A 16-gauge shotgun;
An air rifle;
six bread pans;
one gold Almera vehicle.
Joseph said these matters have all undergone the procedure stipulated by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service for dealing with missing items of evidence and were currently being investigated.
In addition, he said that as a result of the disappearance of these items, officers have been transferred, pending the outcome of the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau.
* In February 2010, four packets of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $1.6 million, disappeared from the property room at the St James Police Station. Several officers were questioned, their homes searched and statements taken, but the drugs remained missing.
* Eleven police officers assigned to the North Eastern Division were detained for questioning on Monday by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau.Jan 2022
They were being questioned in connection with a missing police-issued Galil rifle.
The officers were rounded up by PSB officers from their respective homes and offices throughout the day on Monday into the night.
* An officer assigned to the North Eastern Division, was allegedly at a zesser party on Christmas Eve in 2021 when he placed down the weapon, with its two loaded magazines, somewhere beyond his reach.
The officer, who returned to base on Christmas Day about ten hours later realized that his firearm and ammunition were missing.
An investigation was immediately launched, and a WPC was later charged.
* On June 29, 2024, then Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, said a total of 56 firearms were reported lost, missing or stolen between 2018 and 2023.
These included 42 legally issued, privately owned firearms and 14 that were issued to members of the Police Service, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) and Prison Service.
Hinds made these statements in response to questions from then Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards in the Senate. Hinds was unable to indicate whether any of these firearms were subsequently used in the committal of any crimes.
He added that while this officially listed the number of these firearms reported lost, stolen or missing in this period, “there is one more (firearm) to be concluded upon in respect of the year in which it was reported as such (stolen/lost/missing) from the Tunapuna Police Station.”
Richards asked Hinds if then Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher has the necessary resources to fully investigate these types of firearms being stolen, lost or going missing and ending up in the hands of criminals.
Hinds said, “That is a lot of firearms going missing, given the kind of criminal activity that can be perpetrated brazenly using these firearms.”
Hinds replied, “I am confident that the CoP has the necessary resources and I am also confident that in each case, some investigations would have been executed.”
Hinds could not say whether or not any of these firearms were used to commit any crimes.
“I am unable to say so at this point but that can quite easily be ascertained and I can report to this Parliament accordingly.”
In response to a second question from Richards, Hinds said 14 firearms issued to members of the police service, TTDF and Prison Service were reported lost, stolen or missing between 2018 and 2023.
For the police, one, one and two firearms were reported lost, stolen or missing in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively, for a total of four.
For the TTDF, one, two, one, one, one, two in 2018, 2019,2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 respectively for a total of eight.
For the Prison Service, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero and two 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively, respectively for a total of two.
With respect to the eight firearms reported lost, stolen or missing from the TTDF, Richards asked Hinds if he thought “there is a problem in the oversight mechanism in the TTDF related to those eight weapons having been reported missing?”
Hinds replied, “I can say that, based on information available, I would not jump to that kind of conclusion in all cases.”
In some cases, he continued, “It may be the result of inadequate management of the items.”
Hinds added, “But in some cases, certainly it had to do with exercises at sea and circumstances would have developed and it cannot be said that it was a lack of oversight in those cases.”
Richards asked if any disciplinary measures were instituted by the police, TTDF or the Prison Service with respect to firearms reported lost, stolen or missing.
Hinds replied, “I am unable to answer that question with any more detail at this time. But I am willing to make that available at the next opportunity that it is available.”
Richards said firearms issued to national security agencies have distinctive marking on them.
He asked if there was evidence of any of the 14 firearms being used in any criminal activity.
Hinds replied, “Again, I did not, by virtue of the question posed, arm myself that kind of detail but am quite willing to provide it at an appropriate time.”
* In February 2025, at Camp Cumuto, it was discovered that close to 28,000 rounds of military-grade 5.56 ammunition had vanished into thin air. The camp was locked down. No one was held responsible.
* A Galil assault rifle disappeared from Teteron Barracks, Chaguaramas, in June 2023. A soldier and a civilian were charged.
