COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith says while the issuance of permits for the sale and use of pepper spray will be closely regulated by police, it will not be excessively difficult to access by the public.
On Wednesday, the Lower House unanimously passed the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2021, piloted by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.
The bill will allow adults of good character to apply to the police for a licence to own a pepper spray device for their protection.
Speaking with Newsday on Thursday, Griffith said the police has been working for some time in anticipation of the passage of the legislation to make arrangements for the application process. He said the procedure would be less cumbersome than that of applying for a Firearms Users License (FUL).
"We are liaising with the Office of the Attorney General to get the necessary framework in place and ensure the right questions will be asked in the application process.
"We want it to be accessible enough for people. It's not going to be as cumbersome as getting a firearm but at the same time it won't be something you can just buy off the shelves, there must be some regulation and management to prevent against abuse by people."
Speaking at the weekly police media briefing in December, Griffith endorsed the use of pepper spray for women to be able to defend themselves against attackers. He noted that insecticides were not an appropriate substitute for pepper spray.
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