MTS blocks cop's attempt to take gun into court

GUARDS from the Maintenance and Training Security Company (MTS) had to intervene to block an armed police officer from entering law courts at Princes Town on July 26 in contravention of the Judiciary's established ban on guns in court. The Judiciary recounted it all in a statement later that day.

"The Judiciary acknowledges an incident which occurred this morning between an officer of the police service (TTPS) and court staff at the Princes Town Judicial Complex where a TTPS officer refused to comply with the Judiciary’s universal screening policy and position on firearms in court buildings.

"This is not the first time that Judiciary security personnel have encountered this issue with this TTPS officer and formal complaints were lodged."

The statement said anyone entering the court must be scanned and is not allowed to take in their firearms.

"All persons entering Judiciary facilities and courthouses, including officers of the TTPS, are required to be scanned either by baggage, walk-through or hand-held scanners." The MTS has been contracted by the Judiciary to do this function, in an arrangement in place since 2002.

"The Judiciary’s policy position also prohibits court users and TTPS officers from entering the court premises with a firearm.

"This position on exclusion of firearms from court buildings was adopted in July 2015, after examination of international court security practice."

Stakeholders including the Law Association and successive commissioners of police have been notified of the position since 2015.

"The Judiciary manages the security at all premises under its control, including courthouses, and all persons entering judicial premises are subject to screening.

"It is not unusual for police officers to be screened, in accordance with security practices at other establishments."

While recognising the important role played by officers of the TTPS in providing public safety and security, the Judiciary reserves the right to regulate access to all Court premises.

In 2015, a similar conflict arose at Arima Magistrates' Court where police officers were blocked from efforts to take their firearms into court.

At the time the Judiciary issued a statement explaining its position and expressing puzzlement as to why certain police officers were defying the policy.

It said: "It has for several years been the practice that persons entering court buildings, including members of staff, are scanned in an effort to limit the entry of dangerous weapons and thereby ensure the protection of all court users.

"The exclusion of firearms from court buildings is a position arrived at by the Judiciary after examination of international court practice and mature consideration of statistics. "These statistics reveal that the majority of shootings within court buildings and courtrooms occur with firearms wrested by perpetrators from the control of police officers."

The Judiciary had said it was unaware of the police expressing any concerns over the policy.

regarding this practice that have previously been voiced by members of the Police Service.

On November 19, 2019, a Newsday story titled Police Refuse To Be Searched, reported an unnamed senior police officer from the Eastern Division complaining that police officers were objecting to being frisked by MTS guards when entering Sangre Grande Magistrates Court.

He said, “I would honestly like to know what they are looking for. It’s as if they are treating us like we are in kindergarten."

The source had asked what threat did armed police in court pose when they were the ones that were supposed to be maintaining law and order.

“It is very embarrassing and demoralising, and a lot of officers are not going to court because of that. Some are going and subjecting themselves to the searches, but others aren’t putting up with that humiliation.

“Telling officers to spread their legs apart and raise their arms while they are in police uniform – this is the lowest state the police officer has been, to be subjected to that.”