Robert Jenrick’s name to arm jail officials is ‘nonsense’, governors say

Robert Jenrick’s call for for armed jail guards has been described as “headline-grabbing nonsense” through organisations representing governors and body of workers.

The UK shadow justice secretary, who has made a sequence of attention-grabbing calls for over the previous few days, stated on Sunday jail officials must be allowed to get admission to weapons and increase safe “armouries” to clamp down on violence from Islamist gangs and violent prisoners.

Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors’ Association, stated: “The firearms/lethal force armouries suggestion is just headline-grabbing nonsense. If this was needed, why wouldn’t armed police be deployed rather than creating another trained force in our service?

“It is likely that the lord chancellor [Shabana Mahmood] is considering wider use of protective body armour, but the focus should be on the need for more investment to counter drones and serious organised crime,” he stated.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA), which has warned that it is just an issue of time earlier than a jail officer is murdered as a result of a upward push in jail violence, additionally poured chilly water at the Tories’ call for for weapons in prisons.

Mark Fairhurst, the nationwide chair of the POA, stated: “We are asking for Tasers and the use of non-lethal options. If we ever need firearm support we have an agreement with chief constables to provide mutual aid.

“The Tories think we need this level of protection but we need to exhaust all other options first, including adequate protections for staff and ‘supermax’ facilities,” he stated.

On Friday, a jail officer at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire was once significantly injured when he was once stabbed through a violent inmate with a knife that was once believed to had been flown into the high-security prison through a drone.

Last month, Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber, who’s serving existence for 22 murders, attacked 3 officials in a separation unit on the high-security HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Shabana Mahmood, the lord chancellor, has ordered a overview into whether or not to factor frontline officials with stab vests, in addition to an ordeal of Tasers, and the suspension of prisoners’ use of kitchens in separation gadgets used to segregate Islamist terrorists.

In a piece of writing for the Telegraph, Jenrick stated: “We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails. That means arming specialist prison officer teams with Tasers and stun grenades, as well as giving them access to lethal weapons in exceptional circumstances.

“If prison governors can’t easily keep terrorist influencers and radicalising inmates apart from the mainstream prisoners they target, then we don’t control our prisons – they do. We must take back control and restore order by giving officers the powers and protection they need.”

Whitehall resources stated that taking weapons directly to the jail property would make officials wearing guns a “deadly target” for jail gangs.

Jenrick has generated headlines over fresh days, however has denied that he needs to switch Kemi Badenoch as Tory chief.

On Thursday, he posted a video of himself on-line confronting folks he accused of fare-dodging in central London. A spokesperson for Jenrick has been approached for a remark.

Jenrick stated: “The chief inspector of prisons has warned it is only a matter of time before a gun or explosives are smuggled into a maximum security prisons. In such an emergency, highly trained officers need quick access to secure firearms to save lives.

“Unless the government act now, an officer will be killed. They need anti-drone tech, high-collar stab vests, and the capabilities to combat violent offenders. These brave officers are lions led by donkeys.”