The Sudbury Jail will receive three new correctional officers, says the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
Training for 24 new correctional officers for institutions across Northern Ontario is now underway in Sudbury through the Correctional Officer Training and Assessment North program to increase staffing levels in the province's northern correctional facilities, enhance program delivery and improve staff and inmate safety.
“Our government recognizes the vital role correctional officers at the Sudbury jail play in helping keep our community safe,” Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault is quoted as saying in a news release.
“The three additional correctional officers trained today from Northern Ontario is a key part of our strategy to transform Ontario’s correctional system to better support staff and inmates, and the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals into the community.”
The 24 new recruits, who come from communities across Northern Ontario, must complete a comprehensive eight-week training program before being deployed to an institution.
The program includes mental health training, Indigenous cultural training, inmate management techniques and ongoing training and job coaching following deployment.
Recruits in this class are from the North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Penetanguishene, Timmins and Thunder Bay areas.
Four recruits will be deployed to the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, two will end up at the Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene, six are headed to the Montieth Correctional Complex, four will work at the North Bay Jail, two will be at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre, three more at the Thunder Bay Jail, and three at the Sudbury Jail.
In early January, Ontario's 6,000 correctional services workers threatened to go on strike after being without a contract for a year.
Nathan Aubin, president of OPSEU Local 617, which represents local correction officers, said at the time that Sudbury Jail, which was built in 1928 to accommodate 56 inmates, was crowded with 186 beds.
Aubin said the Sudbury Jail did not have sufficient staff to properly run the jail.
Later in January, the province reached a tentative agreement with its correctional service workers.
“We will continue to work with our corrections staff as we move forward with our mandate to transform the correctional system to develop effective and lasting improvements to enhance rehabilitation and reintegration supports as we work to break the cycle of re-offending and improve the safety and security of correctional staff, inmates and the public,” said Deb Matthews, deputy premier and president of the Treasury Board.
