PRISONS officers may get guns soon, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security Donna Cox says.
’There is a request from prisons officers for firearms which is being looked at,’ Cox, the minister directly responsible for this country’s Prisons Service, said yesterday.
She made the statement while talking to reporters after the official opening of the Immigration Detention Centre at Aripo in Arima. (- See story at right)
The call for prisons officers to be given guns to protect themselves was thrown into the national spotlight again this week, following the shooting attack of two prisons officers in separate incidents within the past two weeks.
In the first incident, 25-year-old prisons officer Anthony Sinanan was shot moments after he exited the Golden Grove prison in Arouca on November 2. Sinanan survived the shooting but sustained gunshot wounds to his legs. The second incident occurred on Saturday night when prisons officer Ian Seegobin, 34, was fatally shot while visiting relatives at Cemetery Street in Five Rivers, Arouca.
Both shootings were publicly chastised by the Prisons Officers Association (POA), and the association’s public relations officer Ceron Richards described them as an attack on this country’s entire Prisons Service.
The attacks renewed calls by the POA for officers, both on- and off-duty, to be given guns to protect themselves.
’If the State does not have the resources to protect us, then allow us the ability to protect ourselves, not guns for all officers but once there is a need, then provide them,’ Richards said.
The viability of this request is now being seriously considered, Cox said yesterday. A request for bullet-proof vests for prisons officers was also received and considered, she added. Some bullet-proof vests have been ordered since, she noted.
Cox said Government was serious about the safety of the nation’s prisons officers and as such, some new security measures are scheduled to be implemented. The new security initiatives include improved lighting and increased police patrols at prisons across the country, Cox said.
But in response to the proposed initiatives by Government, Richards, in a telephone interview yesterday, said the POA is ’cautiously optimistic’.
On Tuesday, prisons officers staged a work-to-rule which resulted in prisoners not being transported to magistrates’ courts throughout the country.
Yesterday, Cox said if prisons officers understood that the Government is ’concerned’ about their well-being, this would not have taken place.
Yes, they should be given guns. These guns should only be used or carried when the officers are transporting prisoners. They do not need to have guns at no other time and for no other reason. The guns should be kept locked up and only given when needed. Those officers to whom the guns are given, should sign out the guns and sign them back in when their duties of transporting prisoners are completed. Also make sure that they do no sell or rent these guns, as is the custom of the police.
The issuing of firearms to members of the police sevice and prison service is long overdue.This is off right in the developed world.Of course there will be rotten officers, but as the saying goes; it is better that ioo guilty go free than 1 innocent suffer.I am not naive to think that once an officer is armed he is invincible. However like in the case, of the late COP HERCULES an officer under attack may still be able to get of a shot that may seriously injure his assailant making an arrest easier.
Then there is the issue of untrained chinese females who cannot speak english walking around with firearms while trained prison officers and police officers are walking around without and called upon to serve and protect these armed persons.
Why is the minister only now concerned about Guns for the Prisons Officers. What about the Police Officers whose lives are in constant dangers from those on the outside? Give both groups guns on and off the jobs.
I would like to suggest to those in authority that an effective Employee Assistance Program be put in place before any consideration be given to arming the officers.
If I am reading correct Cox said Government was serious about the safety of the nation’s prisons officers and as such, some new security measures are scheduled to be implemented. The new security initiatives include improved lighting and increased police patrols at prisons across the country, Cox said. well how about the average citzen who want to protect his family and buisness since Government was serious about the safety of the nation’s prison officers guess they don't care about the citzen
These incidents of violence perpetrated on prison officers should be thoroughly investigated to identify the root cause (s) before issuing firearms also there must be proper mental examinations,training n background checks on officers
Dear Editor,
I have several friends who are prison officers and who are not entirely happy with the consideration being given to arm them with firearms. There is a legitimate concern that their homes and their families will become targets as criminals will now be 'gunning' after them for their weapons. We might just be creating a wild wild west situation where every and any one acting suspiciously around a prison officer whether on or off duty could be shot or shot at. Remember that criminals have long since won this war against the security of this country and providing more citizens with guns is not the answer. The criminal infrastructure in this country is close knit and tightly woven. criminals posing as taxi drivers pick up prison officers outside the prison waiting for transportation and drop them off on the main road where they are then followed by other criminals. So there will never be a situation where suspicious individuals posing in suspicious looking cars can be seen parked or loitering around the prisons. Prison officers with cars should be afforded parking in an area away from the sight of prisoners some of whom are allowed to plant the fields surrounding the car park and who can easily identify which officer is driving what car. Guns should not be given to prison officers. Provide them with better all round security.
I have always been an advocate for arming members of the Protective Services,off-duty.It is the lesser of all the evils.Would anyone in T@T work under these conditions,-arresting armed felons while on duty and have to go home unarmed-?Just put severe safeguards in place to punish anyone,who abuses their authority(with,or without the use of their weapon),or who fails to secure their weapons.From my experience,I would say that carry a weapon twenty-four-seven,definitely makes you more responsible and discipline.Rogue members will be criminals,whether they are armed,or not.The good Officers must not suffer for the bad-seeds.I hope this attempt to arm the officers,is not just a ploy to keep them quiet for the Summit.Aubert Modeste
Arming prison officers when off duty is fine, but not when on duty. the exception would be those officers guarding the prison facility who are not in direct contact with inmates.
Having officers armed while on duty poses the risk of firearms falling into the hands of inmates. Correction officers in the United States, Canada, and the UK who interact directly with the prison population never carry weapons for this reason.
This is a bad idea from start to any view point.
(1) We have more than enough Guns loose in our society do we need more guns at large in our society ?
(2) We do not know that it was an ex inmate or a present inmate who are responsible for the shooting of these prison officers.Some Prison officers are a disgrace to the society and their fellow officers because they are the ones who bring the Cell Phones and Drugs and carry and bring information to and from the Gang Leaders which the police have incarcerated after much hard work.They are the ones who have failed miserably to implement any meaningful reform of inmates who spend long,short and medium prison terms in our nation's prison.
I shall not fail to point out the tremendous work to reform prisoners which have been done by Prison Officials like Carl Mathis,Peterson Lambert,Gordon Husbands,Hugh Montez,Cipriani Baptiste among others. Their efforts have been thwarted by the negative acts of rogues masquerading as " Prison Officers" who have been bringing the Prison Service into disrepute now you want to give them Guns to take home ?
I guarantee you they will be shot for their Guns and it shall be taken away from them and the Rogue Officers will probably sell them or help the Criminals to rob other officers of their Guns.
The Government need not Panic with their threats of strike etc. They will not and cannot strike. They shall obey orders.If they do not then fire those who refuse to obey orders and do their duty and the Army and Private Security shall run the prison along with the officers who obey orders and simply recruit officers from Private security.
Remember Prisons Commissioner Hercules had a gun when he was killed for his car.
Bottom line is this:Government must not Panic and be afraid of these threats to work to rule etc and strike and the bullying of some elements of the Prison Service.We,the people ,are not your Prisoners hence you cannot "lock us up" and punish us as you can Criminals who deserve such we are decent and upright Law abiding citizens who pay your salaries with our Tax dollars and you shall not bully us into Giving you guns! No guns for you go out and do your jobs and root out your rogue officers that is what we pay you to do!
Ex Prison Service Employee.
While I respect your view,the status- quo cannot be stayed.All Organizations have"bad eggs".Look at the Members of Parliament,they all have authority to carry weapons,because there is a real threat to them.It's not that they are better than the Prison Officers. We cannot be left behind in the fight against criminals,in this world.Not arming the officers,is just as bad as arming them.Which decision would you make? If Mr.Hercules,whom I knew personally,did not have a weapon,he may have been shot still.Except,he would not have been able to help catch his killer.But I do understand your concern,But the lives of these Officers are more important than the criminals.As I said previously,punish severely those who abuse the use of their weapons.There are civilians who have legal weapons who are just as risky,or more so,than the Officers.Aubert Modeste
This is a bad idea from any view point.
The person who wrote the above comment is dead right.The reasons given are factual.I goes to show that people out there know what is going on.
Site designed and managed by CCN New Ventures. Managing Editor: Omatie Lyder, Head of
TV News; Dominic Kalipersad, Copyright 2009 All rights reserved. Trinidad
Express 35 Independence Sq, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Express newspaper and
TV6 are subsidiaries of One Caribbean Media (www.onecaribbeanmedia.net)
Powered by www.cpsgsoftware.com
