The president of NAPE says they’re still waiting for a clear answer on when a replacement for HMP will come.
Jerry Earle says there has been little communication after they announced plans for the new facility in 2019.
The union recently met with the justice minister to attempt to establish a timeline for when they can expect to see a replacement for HMP.
He says the officers deserve to have a clear timeline on when they can expect the facility to be developed. Earle says they also need help to assist with issues they continue to face at the current facility.
Minister John Hogan says he has not had a chance to fully review the report on current conditions, but is not surprised based on what he has learned so far.
He says in the recent meeting with NAPE, they agreed to work together to come up with solutions to improve conditions for inmates and staff at HMP.
Corrections officers at HMP have made a number of recommendations to government for the development of the new facility.
28 officers were interviewed in late 2022 and described working in poor conditions and feeling unsafe in the workplace.
Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli conducted the report and says staff reported feeling burnt out from working mandatory overtime and feel the outdated facility is putting their safety in jeopardy.
She says officers requested a separate entrance for staff only, and to be able to enter the building in an area that isn’t visible to prisoners, so they do not have to worry about them finding the licence plate numbers and eventually finding their home address.
Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli
Other issues brought forward in the report was the need for a more modern space that was not infested with rodents and insects.
Dr. Ricciardelli says currently, staff do not feel equipped to deal with conflict between inmates, emergency situations, and mental health issues for both inmates and staff.
“The emotional toll of spending an entire day on a unit with a variety of people who all have needs has to be recognized and there has to be supports for the officers doing so.”
