PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, said Tuesday that the government is moving to remove rogue prison officers from the system, adding that some of these officers have been assisting criminal elements now in custody.
Alexander said that steps are being taken to rid the prison service of these rogue officers with the involvement of the Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro, and the Attorney General, John Jeremie.
“Intelligence-driven strategic systems would be put in place to deal with that whole situation because, I will tell you this much, there is a very large, according to the intelligence unit in Trinidad and Tobago, a substantial portion of prison officers who…have already been identified.
“Persons who support this type of behaviour coming from the nation’s prisons and to a greater extent the gang and crime syndicate that has overwhelmed our prison for several years, we have spoken to the Police Commissioner and his intelligence team and also the Attorney General, other legal arms of government as to what is the next move we can make to get rid off and eradicate those persons…they are offering no type of assistance to their colleagues, to the institution or even to the prisoners,” Alexander said.
On Monday, the acting Commissioner of Prisons, Hayden Forde, said that drone drop-offs were contributing significantly to contraband reaching the prison walls, and he is also blaming some prison officials for being part of the criminal activities.
Forde, speaking on a television program here, stated that the use of these devices has become a significant challenge, even as authorities attempt to intercept them, and that something needs to be done urgently.
“The greatest challenge that we face daily is drone flights. Drone flights take place every single day, and because there is that open air, we are unable to address those drone drops adequately.
“So, the criminal realizes that that’s a weak spot, and they are actually using that to their advantage. Despite that, we have officers who are intercepting some of those drops (and) they have been able to curtail some of the contraband they are trying to get into our prison system, but the vast majority, obviously based on the flight patterns…we have not been able to intercept.
The Acting Prison Commissioner said that between April and October this year, there have been more than 600 drone drops, with the most popular spot being at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, east of here.
The Homeland Security Minister, a former senior police officer, said this issue will be addressed in a matter of weeks.
“At this time, we have engaged persons from outside of Trinidad and Tobago. They will be here in a couple of days with the type of technology that we should be proud of with respect to what is happening at the nation’s prisons as it relates to the drones.
“He has already sent me several items that I must choose from with respect to the drones,” Alexander said, adding that he would be involving the people responsible for dealing with that situation.
“So that should be dealt with before the end of November…if not sooner, because that to me is of paramount importance. This war against crime and criminality, especially coming from the nation’s prisons”.
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