Head of the TT Police Service Social Welfare Association (TTPSSWA) Gideon Dickson says his officers will not put down their guns when going to court despite calls from the TTPS leadership to do so.
He made the comment after a police officer and a court employee clashed over the Judiciary's policy to prohibit anyone with a firearm from entering a court on November 6.
The Judiciary, in a press release on November 8, said an officer went to the O’Meara Judicial Complex and, after refusing to comply with the rules, was refused entry.
The incident escalated and the officer threatened to arrest the court employee.
The Judiciary defended its policy on the exclusion of guns from courtrooms in the release.
Judiciary policy states court users and police are prohibited from entering the court premises with a firearm.
The Judiciary said its policy, which has been in existence for almost a decade, is in line with international best practice.
“The Judiciary established a screening policy in July 2015, which is in keeping with international best practice for court buildings and is in keeping with security protocols in many sectors across TT and internationally where police officers must also be screened.”
It added its position was formally communicated to various stakeholders, including the Law Association of TT and every police commissioner who has been in office since the policy’s implementation.
“The Judiciary continues to engage in discussions with the leadership of the TT Police Service (TTPS) to ensure there is common understanding of this policy position on the exclusion of firearms from court buildings. “Despite this policy, the Judiciary continues to encounter issues from certain officers of the TTPS, whose actions deliberately disregard this policy.”
The Judiciary said it remains focused on safeguarding its employees and court users, who are unduly affected.
It said a collaborative approach is taken when special measures are required but added while it recognises the important role played by officers of the TTPS in providing public safety and security, it reserves the right to regulate access to all court premises.
Dickson: Judiciary setting up police
TTPSSWA president Gideon Dickson said the release does not address police officers' concerns about their safety.
He said the Judiciary’s policy is placing officers in a precarious position.
“The only persons assembling in any courthouse are the criminals and the police. And you are saying let the officers put down their tool of trade to go there with the people they have brought before justice.
“You don't need any academia to see that this is creating a volatile situation for your first and last line of defence.
“As it relates to criminal elements, you are setting us up. You are telling us to go and lodge our firearms in our station and travel to the court and travel back and pick up our firearm and then continue on. What is to stop any associates of those criminals we lock up from targeting us during that period?”
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