(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Corrections

‘It’s at a rate we’ve never seen before’: Union responds to drugs and weapons seizures at Sask Pen

Nov 9, 2024 | 12:00 PM

Over the course of this year, the total value of illegal contraband seized at Sask Penitentiary reached between eight and ten million dollars

That’s according to James Bloomfield, the Prairies Regional president for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, who was contacted by paNOW to comment on a recent number of drugs and weapons seizures at the federal institution.

Among them was seizure last month valued at over $100,000 and one in August worth nearly $130,000.

“It’s at a rate we’ve never seen before,” “Bloomfield said.

The big question on peoples’ minds may be how, and while acknowledging large amounts of drugs still entering the facility by way of an Easter egg type container, Bloomfield said the biggest issue lies with drones.

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“The drones are a real big problem everywhere in this country right now and we’re seeing amounts of drugs we’ve never seen before,” he said. “We almost can’t keep count.”

In response to the drug seizures, Corrections Canada noted the use of a number of tools such as scanners and drug detection dogs. But Bloomfield said the institution’s technology service is way behind and can’t keep up with the drones that are equipped with state of the art cameras and can fly for long distances..

“We are only catching a small amount of them,” he commented.

In addition to the drugs, the drones are also dropping ceramic knives that are immune to the institution’s metal detectors; and there’s even screwdrivers which may allow inmates to access secure areas.

As of this month, the union has been without a contract for nearly two and a half years, and while money is an obvious issue, so is the health and safety of the officers who Bloomfield noted are being assaulted at a higher rate; are dealing with inmates high on drugs; and when stopping the illegal drops, getting caught between the inmates and the drugs. Added to the union’s concerns is a complete lack of repercussions.

“There is no such thing as segregation anymore, there’s no punishment within a facility. If you get caught with a huge amount of drugs or are the person who collected that package, you are not even moved from your initial location,” Bloomfield said.

With respect to the ongoing health and safety concerns, Bloomfield noted that within the first five years of a person’s employment at the institution, there’s a 54 per cent chance they will acquire a mental health-related injury.

“Can you imagine what a 25-year veteran within a facility like this is like,” he said.

As part of their contract talks, the union wants to ensure members get the adequate time to be away to get supports and are paid properly for the difficult job they do on a day to day basis.

Bloomfield also added federal cuts are not just hurting the institution, but the community as a whole, because people are getting released without getting properly treated.

“This is not just a glorified security job, this is a crisis counselor on watch every single day,” he said.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell