All persons in police custody who are subsequently charged with a criminal offense will now be mandated to take a COVID-19 test prior to being lawfully detained.
This is according to the Minister for Health Carvin Malone who made the announcement during a media conference on Monday September 20.
According to the minister, he said the government decided to mandate testing for persons charged with criminal offenses, after it was revealed that there was an alarming concern regarding detainees who refused to be tested for the COVID-19 virus.
He warned that the objection to testing from these individuals poses a threat to law enforcement officers who will be at risk of contracting COVID-19.
“There is an increasing trend where persons who have been detained or in conflict with the law have refused to be tested which potentially exposes and places considerable risk to our law enforcement officers,” he said.
He added, “While there are legal restrictions that prohibit the enforcement of testings of all persons in conflict with the law, irrespective to them being officially charged for an offense, Cabinet decided that prior to being lawfully detained, a person shall be required to take a covid-19 rapid test unless the Attorney General advises otherwise.”
The minister opted to further clarify in layman’s terms the decision made by Cabinet, stating, “In other words, a person who has been arrested and being held at the police station, if subsequently charged, will be subjected to a rapid antigen test prior to being transported to Her Majesty’s prison.”
In August 2020, a number of law enforcement officers were severely impacted by the COVID-19 virus as the territory battled a COVID-19 spike.
The spike resulted in the temporary closure of police stations and officers having to quarantine, which resulted in the reduction of available frontline officers.