The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) is reminding the security forces that the discharge of firearms, whether accidental or deliberate, must be reported to the body immediately and says in instances where a firearm is accidentally discharged, members should be retrained and recertified in weapon handling.
Additionally, the INDECOM Commissioner says officers given a firearm to keep and care must ensure the weapon is properly stored and not accessible to children, family members or anyone within a household.
INDECOM Commissioner Hugh Faulkner on Thursday sought to address the accidental discharge of firearms and weapon handling, following incidents of accidental discharge of firearms, by law enforcement officers, causing injury to themselves, in some instances, their colleagues and in other instances human personnel and property. Faulkner says the directive has suggested that members must only be issued with firearms for which they have been certified. He also addresses instances where the firearm of a member of the security forces is retrieved by family members, resulting in tragedy.
On February 12, a 16 year old student from Clarendon died under questionable circumstances at his home. According to police reports, his older brother, a police constable was in the bathroom when he heard an explosion and rushed to investigate. He reportedly saw his 16 year old brother lying in a pool of blood and his 14 year old brother who’s said to be suffering from a medical condition, beside him. The officer’s firearm was seized and investigations are ongoing to determine who pulled the trigger.
Faulkner says it’s advisable that off-duty police personnel carrying keep and care service firearms must ensure the firearm is properly concealed.
