Former prisons commissioner Gerard Wilson says while there may be some merit for the Government’s decision to declare a State of Emergency (SoE) to combat powerful underworld figures, it should maintain consistent pressure on these criminals on a more consistent basis.
Contacted for comment after the latest SoE was declared yesterday, Wilson, who served as prison commissioner from 2017-2020, said while he has no problem with the steps being taken to disrupt gang networks in prison through the SoE, more robust security systems must be rolled out more thoroughly for the best results.
He said such an urgent development warranted a serious security response.
He said issues relating to the smuggling of contraband, including cell phones to inmates, was a longstanding challenge which demanded continuous checks and balances.
He said he felt the current security response was appropriate, but wanted more continuous efforts to prevent a widespread proliferation of gang culture behind bars.
He maintained that the basic infrastructure of prisons made it difficult to effectively filter out contraband, noting that dormitories for prison officers being located on the prison compound itself could pose a challenge to security efforts.
“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,” he said.
“So, isolating the dormitories and having it on the outside of the premises, so all the officer is going to his 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 to keep it as rugged as possible for as long as possible.”
Wilson also admitted that the involvement of corrupt prison officers could aid in the strength and influence of these gangs and urged prison officers to share information on any wrongdoing their colleagues may be involved in.
“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 and I find within recent times, too many officers have been held with contraband coming in (to the prison).”
However, criminologist Dr Randy Seepersad contended that the purported threat against State officials should have been dealt with by the prison service, as the conspiracy appeared to have originated behind prison walls.
He said instead of such a widespread security response, the Government, through the prison service, should have addressed the matter at the level of the prisons.
Referring to past concerns of inmates getting access to cellphones to order hits and continue control of their criminal empires even after being imprisoned, he suggested the authorities create a more robust system to quell such activities before allowing it to escalate to such a serious level.
“Try and control the situation in a setting which is already much more circumsribed and controlled, which is the prison setting,” Seepersad said.
“Tackle the problem within the prison and there may not be need for a State of Emergency which affects the nation as a whole.”
Seepersad recommended that prisoners considered gang leaders or members should be rotated from prison to prison on a random basis to prevent any organised networks from forming behind prison walls.
He also suggested a more thorough roll-out of X-Ray scanners at all prisons and questioned the effectiveness of cellphone jammers at these facilities.
“We know there are cell jammers within some of the prisons but they don’t always work and the question is why? We need to make those things work within the prison service, and if you have the cell jammer networks appropriately functioning, then even if prisoners get their hands on a cellphone, they won’t be able to make any calls at all.”
Seepersad also urged corrupt prison officers not to be swayed by the promise of money in exchange for smuggling cellphones for prisoners, as this could directly lead to their own downfall or those around them.
But former police commissioner Gary Griffith isn’t convinced that an SoE was the best way to combat high-level threats or achieve long-term results.
Griffith was also critical of the Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro’s decision to issue a media release reporting that the TTPS would be recommending an SoE be introduced. He said divulging such sensitive information would give away the element of surprise and compromise any crime-fighting operations.
“You let the public and the criminals be aware that we (the police) don’t have the capabilities to secure you, so we want the government to help us by calling a State of Emergency,” Griffith said.
“What should have happened is if the Government themselves say, ‘Listen we want to call a State of Emergency ... enough is enough... commissioner what do you think?’ And the commissioner will send correspondence to agree.
“That will all be done to a degree of confidentiality of documentation until a decision is made to call a State of Emergency or not!”
When asked if he agreed with Guevarro’s decision to recommend the introduction of the SoE, Griffith said there were adequate measures in place to combat crime without calling an SoE.
“A CoP begging for an SoE to deal with an isolated issue in a confined area shows inability to be tactical and strategic.”
Despite this, TTPS Social Welfare Association (TTPSSWA) president, acting ASP Gideon Dickson, maintained the SoE as warranted given the nature of the threat described.
When asked if there were any concerns over the workload being placed on officers to do more during this period, Dickson said he was confident in the ability of police to maintain their duties.
“The assocuiation will always be concerned about any added layers of work that may cause our officers to not have the best work-life balance, but as professionals, we juggle those scenarios with the fact that this is not an everyday occurrence,” Dickson said.
“In this instance, we have not yet gotten the timeline, that is something we will engage the Commissioner (of Police) on, but we hope, trust and believe that whatever we do as a body it will be so surgical, it will repress and send a message to whoever is bent on causing mayhem to look and think twice.”