T&T – Off-Duty Police Officers to Be Armed Under New Firearm Policy
Port of Spain, Trinidad — In a major policy shift, Trinidad and Tobago Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has announced that frontline and tactical police officers will soon be allowed to carry their firearms even when off duty.
Speaking on TV6’s Beyond the Tape program, Guevarro said the new off-duty firearm policy is designed to strengthen the operational capacity of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and ensure officers’ safety at all times.
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“It is my intention to institute an off-duty firearm policy where I will be arming all of my frontline, tactical, and operational officers,” Guevarro said.
“In the past, even after they treated with a criminal, they would have to sign off their weapons. Well, let me tell allyuh, my officers will not have to sign off their guns again.”
The policy will apply to officers assigned to high-risk operational roles, who may face threats even outside their official duties. Guevarro said he recently visited the TTPS Armoury and ordered an audit of all idle and serviceable pistols to support the rollout of the initiative.
“I can’t be arming the members of the public and not treating with my own officers,” he added.
Guevarro also addressed the backlog of Firearm User’s Licence (FUL) applications, revealing that all submissions made within the past six months will now be actively reviewed and processed.
“I took the decision today to call for all of the firearm user’s licence applications for 2025 that have not yet expired past six months. I will entertain those applications for a decision. I’m not saying yay or nay, but they will be reviewed,” he said.
The Commissioner emphasized the six-month cutoff is tied to the validity of supporting documents, particularly the certificate of good character, which expires after six months.
“One of the key requirements is a certificate of good character. If it’s expired, you can’t move forward,” he explained.
Other mandatory documents include a current medical certificate, a psychometric evaluation, and, in some cases, letters from spouses. Guevarro stressed that all supporting documents must accurately reflect applicants’ current circumstances, noting, “A lot can change in half a year, so we need to get that updated.”
Applications with expired or incomplete documentation will be returned to divisional offices for correction and resubmission. Guevarro revealed that there are currently 55,000 firearm licence applications pending review.
Turning to pepper spray permits, Guevarro said 225 permits have been issued so far, with approximately 800 applications still pending.
He confirmed that some pepper spray import permits have also been granted, and the product is now available in the local trade.
“We are encouraging the public to apply if they wish to possess pepper spray legally,” he said.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the TTPS is working to introduce enhanced identification cards for both firearm and pepper spray permits.
“We want to upgrade these cards with new security features—similar to those used on vehicle license stickers—where scanning a code can instantly verify if the card is genuine and display the cardholder’s details,” Guevarro explained.
He said the updated system is part of a broader effort to improve public safety and modernize firearm and pepper spray regulations across Trinidad and Tobago.
