Stay on right side of the law

According to reports the officer, who has not been named and was before the courts on a robbery charge, was arrested on Thursday after allegedly attempting to rob an individual who had withdrawn money from a bank.

Richards, speaking to Sunday Newsday yesterday, said there are rogue elements in every institution in Trinidad and Tobago and the Prison Service was no different.

“(And) we are committed to getting rid of them,” he stressed.

Richards advised all prison workers to stay on the right path and stay on the right side of law. He said they work for a “decent salary” though some tend to live above their means and this could be responsible for the person in question allegedly “going rogue”.

“I advise officers to stay on the right side of law, live within your means and be productive and responsible,” he added. He said the Prison Service exists to fulfil a mandate for the public and to ensure citizens are safe.

“I am hoping all prison officers who want to go rogue will think again,” he added.

Richards pointed out that the vast majority are hard working officers who are on right track and on the right side of law and promote the positive interests of the State. He encouraged these officers to continue staying on that track and “everything go be okay”. Returning to the prison officer being arrested Richards said when things like this happen it is a bad reflection on the service.

He added, however, that he believes the Prison Service is “resilient and strong” and they will not allow rogue elements and people who want to do wrong things to deter them from their overall objective. He also took the opportunity to pay tribute to all the hard-working officers and urged them to continue doing so.

“Do not let rogue or negative elements deter you from going forward,” he added.