Corrections federation says no death squad at Tower Street facility

Chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Corrections, Arlington Turner, says there is no truth to claims of a death squad of correction officers operating at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston.

Turner says claims of wide-scale beating of prisoners at the facility are inaccurate.

He notes there are circumstances where prisoners become unruly or engage in disruptive behaviour and steps have to be taken to restore order and safety at the correctional centre.

However, Turner says on these occasions only necessary force is used.

The federation chairman insists that claims being made about excesses beatings by correctional officers are baseless.

There is reportedly tension brewing at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre over the matter of abuses of inmates by correctional officers.

READ: Tension at Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre ... advocate calls for urgent intervention

There are reports that at least two prisoners have been hospitalised as a result of injuries received at the hands of correctional officers.

The Independent Commission of Investigations has since indicated that it has started a probe into the coordinated abuse of inmates at Tower Street.