Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
REESE
SIXTEEN CORRECTIONAL officers were recently fired while another nine have been sent on leave pending further investigations into their conduct on the job.
According to Major Richard Reese, commissioner of the Correctional Services, "Some of these cases go back as far as 1996." Major Reese has been head of the Correctional Services since June 2003.
He told The Gleaner that the charges against the officers include implication in the escape of inmates, missing ammunition, trafficking of contraband, unprofessional acts against inmates and illegal possession of ammunition and ganja.
"In one case, a correctional officer committed a murder while he was on interdiction, while in a second case, a correctional officer shot and killed a colleague inside a restroom during an incident in 1999," said Commissioner Reese.
NON-CRIME-RELATED ISSUES
He said four of those sacked were dismissed earlier this year, while an additional three had their services terminated for non-crime-related issues. Major Reese further explained that there are other cases that are still being investigated.
"We have a good level of cooperation from the police. Whatever evidence we have we make it available to the investigating officer," Major Reese said.
He disclosed that both the police and the Department of Corrections have completed their investigations into the escape of convicted murderer, Mark Gocul, who recently mysteriously eluded three correctional officers at the Spanish Town Hospital, where he was hospitalised.
The three correctional officers have been sent on leave. Reports are that the files have already been sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling.
