Saskatchewan Penitentiary. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Prison safety

Weapons seizures on the rise behind the wall: Correctional officers’ union says

Feb 13, 2020 | 3:56 PM

Over a one year period, there were 166 incidents at Saskatchewan Penitentiary involving the seizure of weapons, which included knives, pipe-like objects and syringes.

This was the finding of a recent request submitted by paNOW to the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), regarding what sort of weapons were being found on inmates and how often. CSC responded with statistics covering the time period of April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019.

Over the course of those 12 months, there were 101 related seizures of cutting knives or sharp objects found. Fifty-five of those items related to razor type weapons, and three related to pipe or club-like objects.

“You can come across anything from a piece of plexiglass that’s been made into a weapon, to a piece of porcelain that someone has found somewhere,” _{– James Bloomfield}

A statement provided by CSC explained administrators take a number of measures to ensure facilities provide a correctional environment that is “safe, and secure” while also contributing to offender rehabilitation and public safety.

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“This includes enhancing intelligence and information systems, implementing population management, and adding new search and surveillance technology,” the statement said.

A photo taken of a knife-like weapon located in a cell at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary in June 2017. This weapon was allegedly used in a fight between two cellmates that left one dead. (Court of Queen’s Bench)

The statement added correctional staff in the institutions do not tolerate violence of any sort.

“Disciplinary action is taken, and criminal charges can be laid against those involved in violent incidents. CSC is actively involved in sharing ideas and practices with police to prevent violent situations and examines each incidence of violence to prevent and reduce future occurrences,” the statement said.

The table above includes all weapon seizures in Saskatchewan Penitentiary between April 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019, broken down by month and type of item seized. The information provided corresponds to the count of seizures and not the total number of items seized. (Correctional Service of Canada)

The issue of weapons at the prison recently came to light during a trial at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench. Tyler Vandewater testified he used two handmade weapons to stab his cellmate Chris Van Camp nearly 60 times. Vandewater said “99 per cent” of inmates in the maximum security unit carried weapons as a means to protect themselves from other inmates.

Correctional officers who testified earlier in the week stated, when conducting routine searches, they found all sorts of different weapons including toothbrushes with sharpened ends and pieces of metal fencing.

James Bloomfield, Prairie Regional President for the Union of Correctional Officers agreed there has been an increase in weapons found in recent years.

“[Correctional officers] have to assume everywhere we go, we have to make sure we are vigilant and ensure we believe everyone around us could possibly [have a weapon],” he said

Bloomfield explained a number of steps and measures are taken to locate weapons, including routine searches of cells, pat downs, and metal detectors. Bloomfield noted however the inmates are smart and many of the homemade weapons can bypass metal detectors.

“You can come across anything from a piece of plexiglass that’s been made into a weapon, to a piece of porcelain that someone has found somewhere,” he said. “I personally found one that was made of wood in two different sections. When you put these two weird looking pieces together, it became a stabbing weapon and that’s never gonna be picked up in a metal detector”

Bloomfield said officers do their best to keep everyone safe but added it’s a very difficult work environment. He also explained one of the challenges correctional officers face is a lack of consequences or repercussions inmates can receive for possessing a weapon or assaulting a correctional officer.

“We are finding [weapons seizures and assaults] continuously rising and we do expect these numbers to go up and up and up. As much as the correction service says they are trying to stop this, the reality is inside that’s not what’s happening and the actions are encouraging this to continue,” he said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell