Police officers must be allowed to carry their firearms in court and according to top officials of the Police Service, “security officers have no authority, absolutely no authority, to search police officers when they attend court.”
That was the directive issued yesterday by acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams in response to Monday's stand-off at the Arima Magistrates Court where officers were told they could not enter the building with their firearms.
The unusual situation occurred on Monday after security officers assigned to the magistracy in Arima, began searching police officers and instructing that they had to be scanned, which is part of the routine security measures meted out to the public.
Officers objected to the procedure, saying it was highly unusual for them to be subjected to such treatment.
This resulted in a situation occurring as officials of the Police Social and Welfare Association and judicial and legal officers visited the premises to quell rising tempers.
Questioned about the situation yesterday following the formal opening of a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) dialogue on citizen security at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, Williams said the situation had “cropped up,” just one day after reading a letter from the Judiciary regarding the policy of no guns in court.
He said: “Police officers must carry firearms in court so there is no two ways about it.
“I have issued directions to the officers that they must conceal (their) weapons in court, so weapons must not be open or obvious to the public but the officers must, and I emphasise that, must carry weapons in court.”
He said it was unacceptable that officers would be prevented from carrying firearms in court as that was where criminals were brought, along with exhibits, such as guns, ammunition and narcotics, on a daily basis.
“You cannot create an environment where police officers are unarmed,” he said, adding: “Police officers must protect those items. They must be armed.”
Revealing he had instructed the divisional commander for the Arima district to engage in discussions with senior magistracy officials and security supervisors regarding the matter, Williams said similar discussions would take place in all districts across both islands to ensure such situations did not repeat itself.