Female prison officers to join emergency response unit

Sixteen female prisons officers have graduated from the emergency response training course signalling the Prisons Service’s thrust to integrate female officers with their male counterparts in the once male-only emergency response unit (EMU).

“Traditionally, only male officers served in this specialised unit,” a release from the Prisons Service said.

The graduation, which took place on Friday, the Prison Service said, marks the continued breaking of existing barriers relative to women in correctional facilities in the country. In 2016 several female officers were promoted to executive ranks of the Prison Service.

The release said Commissioner of Prisons Gerard Wilson and his executive see the formation of the EMU as a necessity to ensure the fulfilment of its mandate and continued protection of the physical and psychological safety of all clients of the prisons service.

The inclusion of women in the unit will also bring the prisons service into alignment with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners with specific reference to incarcerated females, the release said. To facilitate the creation of a female branch of the unit to be housed at the Women’s Prison, the prisons service has upgraded its training strategies by having them receive detailed training in special weapons and tactics as their male counterparts.

The release quoted Deputy of Commissioner of Prisons - Operations, Dennis Pulchan as saying, “Women in the Prison Service have always served with passion and pride. There was careful planning surrounding the birth of this unit as it is designed to play a critical role in crime prevention, maintenance of prison safety and protection of both inmates and officers. They are highly skilled, efficient and committed and are a definite asset to the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service.”