By Taylor MacPherson

Province anticipates savings by contracting courthouse security

Nov 16, 2016 | 9:00 AM

After 14 Saskatchewan deputy sheriffs were given layoff notices earlier this month, including four positions in Prince Albert, the future of courtroom security in the province remains unclear.

Deputy sheriffs operate perimeter security checkpoints, secure and transport prisoners, and provide security inside courtrooms. The layoffs were enacted to allow the province to contract out perimeter screening services to a private firm as a cost-saving measure, but it is still not clear which contractor will be employed or exactly how much will be saved.

Ministry of Justice spokesman Drew Wilby said he is confident courthouse screening services will be performed more efficiently and effectively by a private contractor, even though the tender has not yet been publicly posted.

“We’re doing some legwork in order to get that tender up on our tenders website,” Wilby said. “We expect that we’ll be able to implement the changes by January 1, 2017.”

When asked what would happen if no viable proposals are received, Wilby said he was confident the government would be able to find a suitable security firm by the end of the year.

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Wilby said preliminary analysis indicated the province will save $308,000 annually by replacing the 14 deputies with private contractors, but severance pay for the laid-off employees means there will be no savings until next year.

“We don’t anticipate savings this fiscal year,” Wilby said. “But going into next year we would expect to realize that $308,000.”

There are no firm plans to replace other sheriff positions, Wilby said, but added the ministry will “continue to review all of our services to ensure they are being delivered in an effective and efficient manner.”

Saskatchewan had recent success with private contractors, Wilby said, pointing to the 2015 decision to contract out food services at several correctional facilities in the province. 

According to Wilby the private contractor improved food service “significantly” over the government employees who previously worked in the kitchens, and savings are now being realized.

“We obviously had our bumps at the start in terms of the quality and quantity of food that was being provided,” Wilby said. “We worked through that with Compass Group, the private contractor, to develop a system that works quite well.”

Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) President Bob Bymoen said the ministry is unlikely to find any significant savings by replacing sheriffs.

“A couple bucks an hour is all they’re going to save,” Bymoen told paNOW.

Bymoen said sheriffs earn roughly $30/hour plus benefits, which he said is comparable to the wages made by Commissionaires and other private security contractors.

“For a few dollars an hour they’re going to put in jeopardy the security of our judges and the lawyers and the families,” Bymoen said. “I don’t think it’s worth it.”

Sheriffs provide an armed presence at the province’s courthouses, and are trained to use lethal force in emergency situations. Bymoen said replacing armed deputies with unarmed contractors will increase the responsibility placed on the remaining deputies while making the courthouses more attractive to criminals.

“Either we secure them properly or we’re not securing them at all,” he said.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

@TMacPhersonNews