From MERC re: Arming Officers.

Dear Corrections Division,

We are asking the Corrections division to write the Minister either by snail mail or personal email (not work email) on your thoughts on inmate escorts, CCing Smokey, Brian Chauvin or Eddy Almeida, as well as your local MPP.

Ask Mr. Bartolucci to give the workers proper protection and training, not only for the workers themselves, but also to ensure that public safety is preserved.

In sol., Corrections



Premier Dalton McGuinty,

I am writing you this letter due to the situation that occurred on November 24, 2009 at Hamilton General Hospital. I will also be sending this to Mr. Bartolucci. As you may be aware two Correctional Officer’s that work for Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre were held at gunpoint and assaulted while escorting an inmate to the hospital. This inmate had previous escape attempts and was in custody for pointing a loaded shotgun at a Toronto Police Officer. This resulted in a very dangerous inmate escaping custody and the general public being put in danger. The inmate still remains at large as I write this letter. Also the two Correctional Officer’s involved were not able to protect them self and are lucky to be alive.

I was looking online today at www.cp24.com and noticed Mr. Rick Bartolucci made the following comment to the media regarding the escape:

Province not ready to arm jail guards who escort inmates

“Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci says he doesn’t want more guns in situations like that. He says that could create other problems.”

“At this point in time, I would not be in favour of having jail guards carry guns,” Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci said outside the legislature Wednesday.

“They are in very, very close proximity to prisoners (and) carrying a gun brings about a whole other set of circumstances that may have to be dealt with.”

I have serious concerns and am very insulted in the Province of Ontario especially Mr. Bartolucci for not taking the lives of Correctional Officer’s serious. Also I would like to inform our Minister that we are Correctional Officers, NOT jail guards! Goes to show the amount of respect he has for us. I would also like to ask what experience does Mr. Bartolucci have in a jail? None that I know of, so how would he know about the dynamics when escorting an inmate? The Province has an obligation to protect its employees and the community. Correctional Officer’s are put in danger everyday and not given the proper equipment to do our jobs. Officers to this date are still not even issued handcuffs as part of the uniform equipment. One question I would like to ask is, why are armoured car drivers armed, yet us as Peace Officers in Ontario transporting dangerous offenders are not? We escort inmates who are murders, terrorists, gang members and escape risks everyday. Recently Border Guards were armed for their protection, yet we remain unarmed. Correctional Service Canada’s Officer’s are armed, but the Province of Ontario does not arm its Correctional Officer’s for community escorts such as hospital visits. Every inmate that is in a Federal Penitentiary came from a Provincial Institution, we have the exact same inmates as they house, yet we are left to stand alone when it comes to our safety. We also hold Federal inmates who are sent to our custody for court purposes. I know at the Toronto West Detention Centre, we have had escapes that could have been prevented and also have had Officer’s held at gunpoint. I am asking you to please consider this request to arm Correctional Officer’s in the Province of Ontario for the purpose of out of the institution escorts. It is for the safety of the Officer and the community. How can the Ministry be called “Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services” when they are obviously not concerned with safety at all? I hope to hear back from you in the near future.

Kyle Davis

Correctional Officer

Toronto West Detention Centre

Link to Ministers comments and story. CLICK HERE