More metal detectors for prisons
Published:Wednesday | February 8, 2017 | 12:00 AMJason Cross
The practice of smuggling metallic items into correctional facilities has become much harder, with the Department of Corrections receiving a new batch of metal detectors, a donation from the United States Embassy in Kingston.
The metal detectors, along with other items like riot shields, were handed over to the department on Wednesday at its East Street Training Centre in downtown Kingston.
Director of Security Alvin Gayle told The Gleaner that the donated items, the metal detectors in particular, would boost effectiveness among correctional officers.
"Persons have always been taking what we call prohibited articles into the correctional centres. Visitors and just persons of unscrupulous behaviour would try to smuggle things into the institution, and the detector is one tool that helps us to detect anything metallic - knives, keys, jammers, and anything made out of metal."
"Each time we get some (metal detectors), they boost our package, and we are grateful. People would even take food for their relatives, and if they can hide anything inside the food, they would. What we do, we use the metal detector and once it passes over anything, it will pick it up," Gayle stressed.