Police Association supports new prison initiative

President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Insp Michael Seales yesterday gave the thumbs-up to the initiative by the Ministry of National Security for police, prison and soldiers to join forces to deal with illicit activities at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca.

On Thursday police and soldiers began in what was described as an intelligence-driven exercise at the Maximum Security Prison aimed at dealing with crime carried out or ordered from within the prison walls by both prisoners and prison officers.

Yesterday Seales said, “We are responsible for the safety and security no matter where the threat exists, so whether it is in the airport, the prisons, or the President’s house, it matters not, it is the responsibility of the police service to provide safety and security for all citizens."

Yesterday acting Prisons Commissioner Dane Clarke said the deployment of police and soldiers at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) will assist greatly in stamping out some of the ills there.

Clarke was responding yesterday to one of the short-term measures to deal with smuggling contraband at MSP and other illegal activities involving prisoners.