An official investigation into the Cayman Islands Detention Centre reveals critical security lapses and understaffing issues endangering both inmates and officers.
(CNS): Among the many problems plaguing the Cayman Islands Detention Centre, which holds suspects who have been arrested or charged, is the sheer volume of people passing through the relatively small and understaffed facility.. The final report following an own-motion investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman documents a catalogue of safety and security problems and sets out a long list of recommendations to improve the management of the centre.. The OMB opened the investigation
in May 2025 following a series of reports that over a short period last year, prisoners were being injured, including an inmate whose thumb was severed in a cell door as it was closed on him, and that detainees were self-harming or attempting to do so.. There were also reports of security issues and potential risks associated with operating the centre.. An interim report published in September contained a number of worrying findings and made
numerous recommendations for the commissioner of police and the governor to consider.. In December 2025, the RCIPS provided a response to the 18 recommendations.. This and the action being taken are published in the final report, which also records further findings by the OMB and additional recommendations Among the more serious findings are numerous incidents of attempted self-harm within the CIDC over the past two years, and the fact that attending officers are not always
appropriately trained to deal with these situations.. The fire alarm system was not operational for about five years, and security doors were routinely left ajar, which led to prisoners escaping.. Other concerns included a failure to search all detainees, a lack of confidentiality for attorney-client discussions and police interviews, and officers not performing hourly prisoner welfare checks.. Adding to the problems were understaffing and the sheer volume of work, which significantly hindered CIDC officers’ ability
to complete their duties effectively, the OMB found.. The report also said that language barriers with some detainees can pose risks to CIDC officers dealing with them, especially because translators are often unavailable after hours.. The OMB has said it will follow up with the RCIPS command on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations to ensure they are met.. See the full report here.
CIDC, detention center safety, RCIPS, Ombudsman report, Cayman Islands, prisoner welfare