Retired commissioner of prisons Gerard Wilson says he supports the declaration of a State of Emergency as a measure to disrupt gang networks in prison, but believes robust security systems must be implemented more consistently.
Responding to news that the TTPS recommended the SoE based on intelligence about a purported plot by prisoners to attack security figures, Wilson said such a serious development warranted a strong security response.
Wilson, who served as Prisons Commissioner from 2017 to 2020, said the smuggling of contraband, including mobile phones, to inmates remained a long-standing challenge that required continuous checks and balances.
He responded to criminologist Dr Randy Seepersad, who argued that authorities should control the prison system before declaring an SoE, by saying the current response was appropriate but needed to be part of a sustained strategy to prevent the spread of gang culture behind bars.
“How we deal with the issues in prison is easier said than done. I always say the way the prisons are configured… the dormitories for officers should really be on the outside and not on the inside, and no one has addressed that.
“So, isolating the dormitories and having them on the outside premises means all the officer goes into duty with is his regulation accoutrements.
“You have to have a really thorough security apparatus, and we have tried this over and over, but it loses momentum.
“It starts in a serious way and it withers away, and what my recommendation is, is to keep it as rugged as possible for as long as possible.”
Wilson also acknowledged that the involvement of corrupt prison officers could bolster the strength and influence of gangs, and urged officers to speak out against wrongdoing.
“If you know there’s another officer trafficking, then say something.
“We have officers who work hard, and their lives are at risk if there are officers bent on doing the wrong thing. I find within recent times, too many officers have been held with contraband coming into the prison.”
