Mobile Phone rollout in prisons: Officers, NSW Police fear organised crime, stalking, intimidation

Correctional officers fear the lives of their family and friends are being put on the line after a plan to rollout mobile phones to inmates inside NSW prisons was revealed.

Correctional Officers and NSW Police are outraged over a plan to rollout of mobile phones to NSW prison inmates — with fears the move could lead to a spike in organised crime, harassment, intimidation of officers and “gaol house hits”.

NewsLocal understands Corrective Services NSW is co-ordinating the rollout of mobile or portable phones to inmates inside the state’s prison system, with a focus on inmates with Covid-19 in remand centres.

A Corrective Services source said plans were being developed at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater, which sparked outrage by officers.

An iPad used to connect inmates and lawyers pictured. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Phones are currently being rolled up in trolleys to the door of inmates cells, however, the MRRC is in the process of purchasing mobile phones in bulk,” the source told NewsLocal.

“The minute we introduce a mobile phone into a centre, which cannot be monitored and traced, officers and the system is in a lot of trouble.

“There is the potential for organised crime, stalking, intimidation and harassment — this could put the public, and our officers at risk.

The source said there were “massive implications by this proposal”.

“Corrective Services NSW is overriding officer and public safety for convenience,” he said.

Corrections officers have raised concerns over the use of mobile phones inside prisons. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

NSW Public Service Association general secretary, Stewart Little, argued “phones are deadlier than guns inside prison”.

“We are working through this issue with CSNSW now,” he said. “Mobile phones are highly illegal in a correctional environment and there is a well-known history of organised crime bosses running criminal enterprise from smuggled mobile phones inside NSW prisons.”

Mr Little said the proposal was raised for Covid-19 infected inmates requiring access to legal representation.

“You don’t want there to be any chance that a mobile phone is used to target an officer or their family and there is a real risk of that being a reality,” he said.

“We have heard there are still concerns about a lack of monitoring phone calls —

whether it is a mobile phone or a portable phone, we need to deal with that.

“There is a reason it is two years behind bars for trying to smuggle a phone into a prison, they can be deadly.”

Stewart Little, general secretary of the Public Service Association.

A NSW Police source said the use of mobile phones by prisoners has been a “massive problem for police for many years”.

“Criminals organised murders and drug networks from gaol using mobile phones,” the source said.

“We have also seen the harassment of witnesses and DV situations.

“The idea that they would be provided to prisoners is outrageous.”

The source described the use of mobile phones as a “backwards step”.

Officers in the COVID-19 positive area where inmates with the virus are housed at Silverwater. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“At the moment there is serious violence between crime groups with members inside and outside of prison,” he said.

“This will assist them to organise murders, crime and drug trafficking — NSW Police would be most upset if this happens.

“It gives criminals a free hit to continue organised crime while locked up.”

Corrective Services NSW did not respond to questions regarding the monitoring of calls or restrictions regarding contacts.