By: Staff Writer
January 25, 2022
Former Police Commissioner (CoP) of Trinidad and Tobago, Gary Griffith, responds to gun license report that was leaked out of his offices.
Mr Griffith, in a statement on his social media page, said: “The latest but almost identical pattern of leaked investigative reports regarding firearm licenses, cannot be more transparent and obvious to even the most fanatic political supporter. There are numerous inferences, however, one of the most alarming, is quoted in the Express as, ‘The scathing report, which has been submitted to the PoISC and which the Sunday Express had sight of…’ This not only confirms the ongoing saga of the ‘Get Gary’ campaign, but also directly casts another net of confusion, bacchanal and scandal upon the newly minted PoISC. As clearly indicated in the article, how does the media ‘get sight’ of a so-called confidential report that was submitted to the Police Service Commission?”
Outlining the “usual plot” that accompanies these scandals, Mr Griffith said: “In almost identical manner to the Barrington report, whereby he was specially handpicked by Government officials to “investigate”, the Stanley John report, being drafted by someone with no training or experience in criminal investigations, is virtually a carbon copy of the Barrington report, with the chain of events being:
‘Government hand picks and pays someone to investigate possible criminal offences.
‘The individual submits a report full of ” it is alleged”, it is rumoured”, and ” I have heard”.
‘The report is then leaked immediately to the media by Government officials who hired them.”
Mr Griffith has been embroiled in a bitter tug of war since his reappointment as Commissioner of Police in August of 2021 had failed. Since that time allegations of a sinister plot emanating in the higher ranks of the Trinidad a Tobago Police Service has been swirling about Mr Griffith’s tenure as CoP and it seems as if it has not abated. The gun license report is a continuation of that it appears.
Mr Griffith also said: “A third ” investigative report” is also forthcoming, also by selected civilians of the Government, which would say and achieve the same objective. The additional humour in this one, is that it involves previous retirees of the TTPS, who when in office as serving police officers, never investigated these same allegations, which have existed for decades.
“These clear cheap politically planned objectives not only blatantly demonstrates, a political agenda with no purpose to solve the problem, but also impugns the character of those hired to have submitted these baseless reports, and affects the proper investigation by the legitimate law enforcement authority, that being the TTPS, to target perpetrators and allows them to escape via this obviously political motive, as it keeps giving criminal elements the information that has been acquired to bring them to justice.”
Mr Griffith continued, “In fact, as with the Barrington report, when this report was sent solely the National Security Council and then leaked by one of these Government officials to Ria Taitt, it means that whoever leaked that report, as done with this Stanley John report, has now tipped off criminal elements of what has been acquired to have them properly investigated by a legitimate law enforcement authority, so under the Proceeds of Crime Act [POCA], in their exuberance to get political points and use these ploys these Government officials who have tipped off criminal elements, have now broken the law and should be investigated and arrested when discovered.
“The Stanley John report, having been submitted to the PoISC, and perhaps to unnamed Government officials, follows a similar route, where allegations are made, aspersions cast, and then the report is ‘leaked.’ In like manner, the onus falls upon Justice John to clearly state his role in the process of the conduct of this report, along with his role in said report being landed on the front pages of a daily newspaper. Was this what his role entailed? Surely Justice John would be familiar with the principles of Natural Justice, and defamation, and as such, I say no more.
“Further, one would expect, if any of these ‘special reports’ held credible information, the authors should, as responsible citizens, submit same to the TTPS for investigation, and if legitimate investigative outcomes prove hearsay, then perhaps such persons should be not only charged for wasting police time, but also face possible defamation claims by parties whose characters they would have slandered. Instead, the reports keep becoming front page fodder.”
Mr Griffith also explained the role of the CoP and said, “Based on the article, [as I am yet to have sight of any of these ‘special reports] matters pertaining to the issue of possible corruption pertaining to firearms have existed in the public domain for decades. The granting of FULs is a rigorous process, with many layers. Each requires special undertaking. After the completion of all these undertakings by various units, the completed file then is submitted to the Commissioner of Police for signature. Under my watch, the following was publicly undertaken:
“I openly stated that there was a matter of concern of corruption in firearm issue. The best way to start solving a problem is to admit that there was a problem.
“It was made easier for law abiding citizens to acquire firearms, hence affecting the blackmail and bribery being conducted by the few rogue elements in TTPS using the process of difficulty in acquiring such licenses.
I openly and constantly requested citizens to come forward and submit reports or evidence of such blackmail and bribery [again, never done before by any COP].”
He continued, “Established 14 policies to reduce such abuse and criminal activity of bribery, inclusive of the formation of a Compliance Unit and issuing a FUL card with a chip to ensure that forged books cannot be used and sold[ note that as soon as I left, some of these policies were shut down].
“The first time that Police Officers were actually held and arrested for such crime.
“What continues to be of interest, is that there has been no such ” special investigators” hired by the Government to deal with the numerous, and decades old problem of reports of corruption in Drivers Permit issue at Licensing Office, or Work Permits issue in the Ministry of National Security, or thousands of monthly fraudulent cheques at various Ministries, and the list can go on and on. One wonders if the Heads of these agencies or Ministries will endure being assailed by both Government operatives and media interests, but the only interest is firearms and only over the last 3 years.”
Mr Griffith also warned against the ”militarisation of society,” and added: “Again, based on what was stated in the media, pertaining to Justice John’s opinion that my ‘liberal policy’ had the potential to ‘militarise sections of the society’ is completely stunning, flabbergasting and clearly out of sync with the Trinidad and Tobago within which most citizens live in fear of criminals with significant cadres of high powered weaponry, within a month that has seen over 30 murders thus far, increase in serious crimes, kidnappings and other acts of terrorism against law abiding citizens. Whereas not one of these legally issued firearms have been breached in terms of use. However, it is certainly easier to pontificate from an ivory tower when one has little clue as to what citizens face on a daily basis.
“I make no apology for providing citizens with the opportunity to protect and defend themselves.”