Richards: Prison officers afraid for their lives

President of the Prison Officers Association Cerron Richards said threats have become the new normal in the prison.

He said this while expressing condolences to the family of murdered prison officer Darren Francis, who was found with a bullet wound to the head outside of his Princes Town home around 4.05 am on Wednesday.

Francis' death comes hours after prison officers intercepted a conversation that a hit had been put on a prison officer’s life. It also followed threats from prisoners that if their cell phones were taken away officers will be murdered.

In an interview, Richards said TT is the country with the highest rate of prison officers being murdered, yet the response from the authorities was slow in coming.

He said while there has been some progress under new National Security Minister Stuart Young, a plan to provide digital security at the homes of prison officers is still at the Cabinet level.

He said basic requirements must be implemented to protect the law enforcement officers who are under constant threat. He said he did not know what situation he was going to meet when he got to work this morning, as officers have become fearful for their lives.

Richards fears that if this threat continues, prison officers already employed may leave and the service would not be able to attract people who want to serve in this capacity.