ComPol would support mandatory psych evaluations for potential gun owners

Following the tragic murder-suicide in Belize City over the weekend, the Mental Health Association of Belize has raised concerns about the mental health of firearm owners. The Association has proposed that psychiatric evaluations become a mandatory part of the process for obtaining a firearm license going forward, as an added layer of safety. While the power to issue gun licenses was removed from Police Commissioner Chester Williams, he opined on the matter earlier today, saying he would support such a measure for public safety.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Certainly I would agree with that and I listened to the statement issued by the mental health organization and I have to agree with them and I can say that when I was the licensing authority if it is that we have any complaint of a licensed firearm holder being involved in any domestic issue, any act of violence what I would normally direct the police to do is to go and retrieve the firearm from that license holder and we keep the weapon and then my office would then write the license holder and ask him or her to give reasons why in light of the allegation his or her license should not be revoked. And I can tell you that we revoked many licenses and there are some instances where persons were charged with crime of violence or domestic issues and then the complainant or the victim would later go and withdraw the matter against them, we would still proceed in writing them letter and ask them to show cause why in light of the allegation their license should not be revoked and we did many revolutions on those basis.”

The power to issue gun licenses now rests with the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board, which was appointed in January. On Saturday, March 9, just after 8 o’clock, Belize City Administrator Stephanie Lindo-Garbutt was shot and killed by her husband, Oswald Garbutt, who then took his own life. The couple was in their home on Freetown Road in Belize City. Garbutt committed the acts with his licensed nine-millimeter pistol