Recent Assault at the Kamloops Correctional Facility Sparks Cause for Concern

There has been a call for more staff at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre after recent violent assaults increase the cause for concern.

On Monday, June 22^nd, a correctional officer was physically assaulted on the job at the KRCC. An inmate had “sucker punched” the officer, causing the officer to fall to the floor. He was also bitten in the shoulder, arm, and wrist. He was able to contact another officer for help but by then it was too late. The officer was then transported to the Royal Inland Hospital where he was treated for a concussion and is now at home recovering.

At the time, the officer was working alone in a living unit, which houses around 40 inmates.

Dean Purdy, with British Columbia Services and Employees’ Union says incidents like the one on Monday have become too common and can be linked to government cutbacks. He says there needs to be a better staff to inmate ratio to combat the violence.

“Overcrowding is a problem but it’s not as big of an issue as understaffing is. We can handle the number of inmates if we have the right number of staff,” said Purdy.

In the past, there would be one correctional officer for a group of 20 inmates. In 2002, the government increased the ratio, calling for up to 72 inmates to be under the supervision of one correctional officer.

Purdy says two officers for each living unit is needed to increase officer as well as inmate safety.

He adds, they also need better equipment and procedures to protect themselves and that working alone in those types of conditions can be physically and mentally draining.

Since 2011, there have been 67 assaults on officers at the KRCC. The recent incident is the 10^th one this year.

The recent assault is currently under investigation and charges against the inmate are pending.