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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1978
COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS INSPECTS PASSING-OUT
PARADE OF PRISON OFFICERS
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THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR. TOM GARNER, SAID TODAY A LOT OF THE VERY FINE WORK WHICH PRISON OFFICERS PERFORM, THE DIFFICULTIES THEY MUST DEAL WITH AND THE TROUBLE THEY AVERT EECAUSE OF PROMPT AND EFFICIENT ACTION ARE NOT IN THE PUBLIC EYE AND KNOWN TO ONLY THOSE WHO ARE WITHIN THE SERVICE.
MR. GARNER WAS SPEAKING AT THE PASSING-OUT PARADE OF 40 PRISON OFFICERS AND THE PRESENTATION OF CLASPS TO LONG SERVICE MEDALS TO 20 OTHER PRISON OFFICERS AT THE DEPARTMENT'S STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY.
AT TODAY'S CEREMONY, MR. GARNER PAID TRIBUTE TO THE 20 CLASP RECIPIENTS, WHO BETWEEN THEM HAVE 533 YEARS OF SERVICE AND SAID: +PROOF OF YOUR SUCCESS LIES IN THE MANY MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE PASSED THROUGH YOUR HANDS AND HAVE NOT RELAPSED TO CRIME.
+OVER THE YEARS, MANY OF YOU HAVE ASSISTED IN THE OPENING OF NEW INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS TAI LAR, CHI MA WAN AND OTHERS, AND ALL OF YOU HAVE HELPED PIONEER THE WAY FOR THOSE TO FOLLOW,+ HE ADDED.
ADDRESSING THE
PARADE, MR. GARNER SAID: +DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED BY SOME OF THE COMMENTS WHICH YOU READ OR HEAR ABOUT WHICH ARE MADE FROM TIME TO TIME BY EX-PRISONERS.
+WHEN YOU DO YOUR JOE CORRECTLY YOU WILL NOT MAKE FRIENDS AMONGST THE PRISONERS NOR WOULD YOU BE EXPECTED TO AND SOME WILL ALWAYS RELISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GO AT YOU IF THEY CAN.+
MR. GARNER STRESSED THAT PRISCH OFFICERS MUST NOT BE PERSUADED TO DEVIATE FROM WHAT THEY KNOW IS THE RIGHT WAY TO CARRY OUT THE IR DUTIES,
HE ALSO EMPHASISED THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF THE CRIME COMMITTED, 'A PRISONER IS A PERSON AND HE MUST BE TREATED IN COMFORMITY WITH THE PRISON RULES.'
+1 RECOGNISE THAT PRISON OFFICERS ARE HUMAN AND UNDER PROVOCATION FROM PRISCHERS, SOME WEAKER ONES CAN SLIP. YOU MUST BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST ANY SUCK LEAKNESS.
+HUMAN ERROR THOUGH IT MAY BE AND DONE UNDER PROVOCATION WILL BE NO EXCUSE WHEN YOU ARE CALLED UPC TO ANSWER FOR IT.+
AMONG THE RECIPIENTS OF CLASPS TO COLONIAL PRISON MEDALS IS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF OF 1803, 15. T. ECOE.
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