Video reveals prison tattooing
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says allowing gang members in prison to get away with tattooing each other and filming it on a phone was ‘‘totally unacceptable’’.
An operational review is under way at Rimutaka Prison after the prisoners smuggled in a tattoo gun and a cellphone.
The cellphone video footage, which was posted online on July 14, shows a Mongrel Mob gang member getting a tattoo.
‘‘To have five gang members in a cell chanting, covering the windows and tattooing each other, is totally unacceptable,’’ said Davis, ‘‘and I expect Corrections to deal with this and ensure we don’t have a repeat.
‘‘I want to know how this can occur and nobody intervened.’’
When asked if he thought Corrections officers were smuggling in the equipment, Davis said he had high expectations of their behaviour.
‘‘I have no tolerance for Corrections officers who are found to be abusing their position in prisons. They endanger themselves and their peers.’’
Prison chief custodial officer Neil Beales said officers became aware of the video about 9.15am on Tuesday and before 10am the two prisoners had been identified, secured in a yard, and the site emergency response team started a search.
A cellphone was recovered quickly and will be forensically examined, he said.
The tattoo gun had been found and removed during searches.
Four prisoners were identified and are being charged with misconduct. ‘‘Their charges will be heard by a hearing adjudicator or by a visiting Justice. If found guilty, they can be sanctioned with a loss of privileges such as access to hobbies or telephone calls or visits in excess of minimum entitlement, forfeiture of earnings, or cell confinement.’’
Yesterday, two of the prisoners were moved from the prison and plans are being made to relocate the other two.
In recent years the prison had strengthened the tools and methods it used to detect and recover contraband.
As technology evolved it was a constant challenge to stay one step ahead of offenders’ attempts to manipulate security processes, Beales said.
Cellphone blocking technology was used but rapid changes to technology in the telecommunications industry meant that blocking cellphone use was an ongoing challenge.