The Guyana Police Force is seeking the assistance of licenced firearm holders who bought their firearms licences during August and December 2012, at the Brickdam Police Registry as they intensify a probe of a policewoman who was suspected of illegal sales.
The police in a statement today said that “Financial irregularities have been uncovered at the Registry involving the sale of firearm licences which are being investigated by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
“The record of firearm licences sold for this period has not been located and consequently individuals and representatives of companies who have purchased their firearm licences at Brickdam during the period, are asked to report to the Police Office of Professional Responsibility at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, with their licences, in order to aid the investigations.
“The Police Office of Professional Responsibility can be visited on any working day, Monday to Friday, between 0900h. to 1600h.”
On January 15, 2013, police said that the “The Audit and Inspection Unit of the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) in conjunction with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting investigations into financial irregularity that has been uncovered in the Police ‘A’ Division Registry Section.
“The fraud involves the sale of Firearm Licences and a female Lance Corporal has been placed under open arrest as the investigations continue.”
On December 31, 2012, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee announced that the ministry has embarked on a review of the licencing process for firearms with a view to improving accountability and efficiency and has put in place fees to recoup processing costs.
Speaking at a forum held at the new Police Training College on Camp Road, the minister said the review of the process was as a consequence of the establishment of the Firearms Licensing Approval Board.
“To date, a Firearms Licensing Management System (FLMS) has been developed for the Guyana Police Force, to support application, maintenance and renewal of firearm licences, by the Guyana Police Force,” he said.
He said that the FLMS will allow police divisions to electronically record firearm licence applications. “It uses an activity-based methodology to support the process from application to approval or rejection,” he said. “The ministry will have full access to this system.”
He said application forms have been designed for 10 categories of applicants and purposes.
“The application forms will replace the letter of application, which more often than not, excludes vital information necessary to arrive at a decision, on the applicant’s suitability for a firearm licence, or other requests made,” he said.
Rohee said persons can either download the forms from the ministry’s or police force’s websites, or pick up forms at police stations.
The minister explained that fees were instituted to recoup costs for the processing of applications.
