Home Of Prison Officer Shot At

The Prison Officers Association has renewed calls for legislation to be passed to treat with the security of the prison officers after the house of another prison officer was shot up by gunmen on Saturday night.

Eyewitnesses claimed the house, in Tunapuna, was shot up by occupants of a white Tiida motor car.

The prison officer is reportedly assigned to the Port-of-Spain State Prison.

Within the past year, the officers have been grappling with the murders of several of their colleagues.

The officers also requested asylum in Canada and marched to the Canadian High Commission at Sweet Briar Road in Port-of-Spain last November.

President of the association Ceron Richards said the shootings and attack was ongoing.

Last year, the association and the Attorney General agreed to commence the drafting of legislation geared towards the protection of prison officers.

“We are concerned for the lives of the officers and all officers. We continue to be plagued with this problem.

“We hope the police will treat with this in a timely manner and hopefully we will get a response from the police and the Government in supporting through the Cabinet provision to attain security at their homes.

We are looking at these measures and waiting for a response from them to treat with that matter,” Richards said yesterday.

A release from the Prison Service said Saturday’s shooting at the home of the prison officer was a brazen attack but no one was injured during the incident.

“The T&T Police Service responded quickly to the scene of the incident in the Tunapuna area. Investigations are ongoing as the T&T Prison Service and the T&T Police Service are working assiduously working together to find the perpetrators of this crime.”

Acting prison commissioner Dennis Pulchan strongly condemned the attack on any prison officer or law enforcement official and commended the police for their speedy response.

He also urged his fellow law enforcement officials to be :ever vigilant as there seems to be a disturbing trend in which members of these noble professions are targeted by the negative elements of our society,”