Gary Griffith, former top cop and Gideon Dickson, president of the Police Social and Welfare Association square off over the Judiciary's attempt to re-implement a policy to deny police officers entry to courts with their firearms.
00:00Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says international best practice dictates that police officers be unarmed in court.
00:07That is something that is stipulated in most courts around the world and there's a reason for that.
00:11It's not that you're questioning the professionalism of the police service,
00:16but there are many situations that would warrant a court not to have persons with firearms
00:22other than those persons who are specifically assigned to provide security in the courtroom.
00:28Griffith elaborated on some of those reasons.
00:31Suppose a police officer is involved in a domestic violence matter with his wife.
00:35Why would he have the authorization to carry a firearm?
00:38Suppose a police officer is given evidence to testify.
00:42Why would he carry a firearm?
00:43Suppose there's a state prosecutor and he's cross-examining a police officer.
00:51He can very well be intimidated.
00:52He says the same issue occurred while he was at the helm of the TDPS and a compromise was reached.
00:58What was done is asked the Chief Justice, C.J. Hayward,
01:01can we put specific approval for specific cases on a daily basis to state that Constable A, B, and C
01:09we recommend that they walk with their firearms because they are part of a court matter involving this person
01:17who is known to be before the courts or they may be bringing evidence
01:21and they need to make sure that they have their firearm to secure the evidence.
01:25And the Chief Justice approved it.
01:26But Griffith says the position adopted by the association is simply unacceptable.
01:32What is not accepted is for a welfare association president to have the audacity to give an instruction
01:39to defy the work and the operations of police officers.
01:44The welfare association has no operational authority.
01:47So in local finance, he's fast and out of place.
01:50Had I been commissioner of police, he would have been suspended immediately.
01:54President of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association,
01:58A.S.P. Gideon Dixon is appalled at Griffith's assessment.
02:03Almost everything that came out of Mr. Griffith's mouth is an aversion of the truth and very far from it.
02:11I just want the public to know that. Let's start by what the law says.
02:16His recollection of the meeting with Griffith and the judiciary is a bit different.
02:22The Chief Justice held this position. We held our position.
02:27And our position is based on the law.
02:29We are saying to the Chief Justice, Mr. Chief Justice, you have within your remit to do what you need to do.
02:37However, it cannot be outside of the law. And the law is quite clear.
02:41And to date, the document that has been referred to by the Chief Justice wasn't signed by the Chief Justice.
02:46And that could be strategic.
02:49The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service acted in their capacity to perform such duties at the court.
02:57Dixon says the court has now doubled down on its position at a time when criminals are more brazen and the system remains disconnected from reality.
03:07What madness is this? Are you saying that you expect my officers to lodge the firearm in our station?
03:17Use his personal vehicle or otherwise and get across there?
03:21What message are you sending to the criminal element between the station lodging and going to court?
03:28What are we saying? The criminals have shown that they have shot other persons in front of courthouse.
03:35Dixon has instructed members of the association to attend court as usual
03:40and to note the dates and times in their personal and desk diaries if denied entry based on their concealed firearms.
04:06He vows this matter is far from over.
04:10I cannot stand by and watch my officers be placed in a diminished position.
04:16And we are calling on dialogue to try to address it.
04:20But the dialogue must be kept at the end of the day with a policy that speaks directly to what the law says.
04:27Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher instructed police officers two days ago that they ought to abide by the judiciary's gun policy.
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