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| Prison attack prompts call for more safety gear for officers |
| By Ottawa Sun |
| Published: 07/18/2005 |
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Federal prison staff in Canada pepper spray and stab-proof vests to ward off vicious cons like the one who beat up two officers at the Kingston pen last Wednesday, their union says. But a corrections spokesman argues that serious assaults on staff are rare. A veteran and a rookie officer were sent to the hospital after the brutal attack, Union of Canadian Correctional Workers president Sylvain Martel said last week. A con, angry about bad news from his parole officer, attacked the pair with his bare hands. One victim had a separated shoulder and both had bleeding head wounds, one requiring 18 stitches. Kingston officers routinely patrol a range of up to 30 milling maximum-security inmates -- some armed with homemade shivs, Martel said. Yet they have less to protect themselves than many mall security guards, he said. "The only thing they have is a set of handcuffs and a CPR mask," Martel said. Corrections spokesman Guy Campeau said staff safety is a top priority and serious assaults rare. The service has given front-line staff at 10 facilities vests and new policies about pepper spray are on the table. |
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