The Law Association is calling on acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams and Chief Justice Ivor Archie to put their differences aside to solve the ongoing issue over police officers entering T&T’s courts with their guns.
In a press release yesterday the association’s president, Reginald Armour, SC, said: “In the interest of good administration and sustained public confidence, the association calls upon the Commissioner of Police and Chief Justice to avoid public confrontation on the issue and to speedily resolve same, commensurate with their mutual responsibility to the public for its safety and protection in a matter that maintains the institutional independence of the Judiciary and the role of the Police Service.”
While Armour did not pick sides in the dispute, he did note Archie held responsibility for all security arrangements at the nation’s courts.
The issue arose on Monday after police officers, who had cases in the Arima Magistrate Court, refused to enter the building after security personnel said they needed to be searched, like members of the public, and were not allowed to enter with their service firearms.
In response to Monday’s stand-off, Williams said that security policy could not be applied to his officers. Since the incident, several other police officers reportedly have refused to attend hearings at the court, causing adjournments in multiple cases.