TTPS: Firearm Licence Booklets required on your person

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service says in following with the Firearms Act, Chap 16:01, all holders of Licences are required by law to have in their possession their Licences, as outlined at Section 27 of the Firearms Act. Details follow in this press release from the TTPS:

All holders of Licences issued pursuant to the Firearms Act, Chap 16:01 are reminded that they are required by law to have in their possession their respective licences as outlined at Section 27 of the Firearms Act which provides as follows:

(1) The holder of a licence or certificate who is thereby authorised to carry a firearm and ammunition in a public place shall whenever he carries such firearm or ammunition in a public place have with him the licence or certificate in respect of such firearm and ammunition.

(2) Subject to subsection (4), except in the case of a person exempted by virtue of section 7, a police officer may require any person whom he sees or whom he believes to be carrying any firearm or ammunition in any public place to produce to him his licence or certificate in relation to such firearm or ammunition and to produce the firearm or ammunition.

(3) A person so required under subsection (2), who is so carrying a firearm or ammunition and who fails to produce the licence or certificate, as the case may be, or to permit the police officer to read the licence or certificate or to produce the firearm or ammunition or to permit him to examine the firearm or ammunition for the purpose of verifying the particulars in the licence or certificate, is guilty of an offence, and the provisions of subsection (4) as to search, seizure and retention of firearms and ammunition shall apply in any such case, and the police officer may, without warrant, arrest such person or may require that person to declare to him immediately his name and address.

The public is advised that as it pertains to the Firearm Cards that have been recently issued by the TTPS, that these are a preliminary measure implemented with the eventual aim of replacing the Licence Booklets. However, persons are asked to take note of the Firearm Regulations made pursuant to the Firearms Act which prescribe that the Licences must be in the forms prescribed under the First Schedule of the Firearms Act, i.e. the Licence Booklets.

Therefore, citizens are further advised that the said Firearm Cards are not a replacement for the Licence Booklets which have been issued and Members of the public are asked to like and follow the TTPS via our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest news and information on matters of interest to the general public. 2which authorise persons to carry or deal in firearms. Moreover, they should take notice that the current legislative regime as outlined above mandates that persons carry these booklets on their persons and that they should be able to produce same upon request.

 Consequently, all persons are advised that even if they have been issued with a Firearm Card, they are still required to carry the requisite Licence Booklet.