By Zaya Williams

The presence of illegal firearms has become an alarming issue, particularly as incidents of gun-related crimes involving young individuals have surged. Law enforcement officials are grappling with the challenge posed by the increasing presence of illicit weapons, prompting intensified efforts to curb their circulation and usage.

“We have recovered about 30 firearms so far for the year so we are being proactive with that but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t more illegal firearms,”Commissioner of Police, Atlee Rodney revealed.

He then acknowledged the gravity of the situation, remarked that the problem of illegal firearms isn’t confined to their jurisdiction alone. “We are not exempted from it,” Commissioner Rodney emphasized.

One driving factor behind the attraction of possessing firearms, according to Commissioner Rodney, is the perception of power and safety associated with these weapons. However, he issued a stern caution, highlighting the inherent danger of firearms, especially when they fall into the wrong hands. “They are dangerous in legal hands, much less in illegal hands,” he admonished.

According to Rodney, a significant portion of these seizures was made possible due to the cooperation and information sharing from community members.

Meanwhile, in another concerning development, Rodney also addressed the emerging issue of “ghost guns.” – unserializedand untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home.

“It is frightening because you cannot trace them. No serial number on them, there is no manufacturing name on it and that’s why they are called ghost guns,” he said.

Though not yet prevalent within the country, Commissioner Rodney acknowledged the importance of preparedness in the face of this evolving challenge.

“It is something that we are learning…so eventually if it comes here, we would be in a position at least to make recommendations to the government, to make recommendations to legislators,” he shared.