The entrance to the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in downtown Kingston. (File photo)
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A correctional officer who allegedly attempted to smuggle a cellular phone and marijuana into the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre has been arrested.
The correctional officer, who is assigned to the institution, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening.
A release from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said he was in the process of entering the facility when his “conduct aroused the suspicion of his superior officers”.
“This led to a search of his person upon which three packages were found, one containing a cellular phone and the other two appeared to contain vegetable matter resembling marijuana,” the release said.
DCS said the Elletson Road police were contacted, and the officer was arrested.
“The leadership of the DCS strongly condemns the smuggling of prohibited articles into correctional centres. The Corrections Act (Amendment) 2021 clearly defines prohibited articles, as well as provides for harsher penalties for correctional officers attempting to introduce such prohibited articles into correctional centres and for inmates found with these articles,” the release said.
It added that the amendment has created a modern legal framework for the DCS to operate and provide resources for correctional services to be undertaken in a specific manner and will become enforceable to determine the appropriate sanctions in these circumstances.
