Province to investigate safety concerns, but transfers to new Remand will go ahead

A guard who will work at Edmonton's new Remand Centre are concerned the 'open concept' inside will be unsafe for guards working there.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, who represents the hundreds of guards who would work at the new Remand Centre, has filed a formal health and safety complaint – and wants the planned opening of the new facility delayed until changes are made.

Much of the union’s concerns centre on the building’s layout, which is more of an open concept, compared to the overcrowded facility in the city’s downtown that about 800 inmates are currently housed in.

In the new facility, about two guards will be responsible for more than 70 prisoners, in open ‘pods’ or living quarters.

The AUPE said the concept needs to be changed – to lessen the risk of inmates getting into conflicts with each other, or with guards.

“We need to make sure this new facility is as safe as possible, and there’s been numerous concerns raised with the Solicitor General’s department over a period of months,” AUPE President Guy Smith said.

“These concerns, health and safety concerns have been unaddressed so far by the department.”

The union is urging the province to delay the planned opening of the centre, until their safety concerns are addressed.

On March 20, a guard who will work at the new Remand Centre spoke to CTV News exclusively, raising the same concerns.

“None of us believe it’s proven at all, because it’s the same inmates that are causing all the trouble,” The guard, whose identity was concealed, said in a phone interview with CTV News. “It’s the same inmates that are causing all the trouble, [they’re] just moving to a new centre.”

The guard also raised concerns over added features in each living unit – such as extra phones and juice machines – could easily be used as weapons, and not every guard would be equipped with protective gear.

The ‘super jail’ was modeled after other institutions in North America, and the province said the 60,000 square metre facility was designed with a direct-supervision approach.

Corrections officials said each guard will have a radio with a direct link for emergency help should something happen, the Justice Minister has said the open concept approach has been shown to reduce the number of dangerous incidents.

AUPE officials met with the Justice Minister Wednesday, but they said it ended in frustration, because the union feels their concerns are not being heard.

Despite their concerns, the union wouldn’t publicly specify what is wrong with the design of the new facility.

Smith said the issues were identified after a tour of the centre in March, but they had been brought to the attention of government officials.

“If they’ve decided to ignore them, they’ve done so at the peril of inmates and staff,” Smith said.

The union said officials are reminding union members that they have the right under the Health and Safety Act to refuse to work, if they believe their job puts them in imminent danger.

Solicitor General and Justice Minister Jonathan Denis said the AUPE didn’t bring up their concerns during their meeting in March – while the province will investigate their concerns, the transfer will go ahead.

“Officer safety is always paramount, but we will be moving ahead with the opening, with the new Remand Centre as planned,” Denis said.

The first groups of inmates are scheduled to be transferred to the new facility this weekend.

With files from Susan Amerongen