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ESCORT POLICY INFORMATION

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Summary of Orders arising from the Health and Safety Adjudicator’s August 28, 1998 ruling on correctional officers escorting prisoners in the community.

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Number of Escorts  

In all instances where a single inmate is escorted outside of the institution, the employer shall ensure the escort is made up of no less than two correctional officers.

• Where more than one inmate at a time is required to be escorted out of the institution, and the escort involves anything other than a transfer to another secured environment, then the escort shall be made up of a minimum number of two correctional officers per inmate.

• Consistent with the preceding orders, the following excerpt which appears under the heading "Hospital/Medical Escort" in the current policy (exhibit 42) regarding community escorts and transportation, is to be deleted from page 8:

The operational manager may in his/her discretion, consult with the escorting officer and assign a single escort to supervise an offender who may normally be considered a security concern when the offender’s diagnosed medical condition renders him/her immobile (e.g., unconscious, in traction, etc.). Any change in circumstances shall require the operational manager to review the security and escort conditions.

 

• These orders are to be implemented with 3 months of the date of this decision.

 Vests

• The employer is ordered to either retrofit or upgrade the existing kevlar vests to provide additional protection against edged weapons. The vests are to constitute part of the mandatory equipment to be used on escort duty.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 ASP Baton

• I order the employer to make the 26" expandable ASP baton mandatory equipment to be used on community escorts.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Oleoresin Capsicum/Pepper Spray

• I order the employer to make Oleoresin Capsicum/Pepper Spray mandatory equipment to be issue for community escort duty.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Training

• The employer is ordered to provide training to the correctional officers with regard to the proper use of the ASP baton, and pepper spray prior to their being issued as equipment to be used on escorts. Additional "refresher" training is to be provided as required.

• The employer is ordered to provide defensive training on an annual basis, with an emphasis on the avoidance of surprise attacks.

• The first such training is to be held no later than one year from the date of this decision.

Full Restraints

• Subject to medical conditions, or medical requirements, the employer is ordered to require that all escort inmates be placed in full restraints while on community escort.

• This order is to be implemented within six months of the date of this decision.

 Black Boxes

• The employer is ordered to require the use of handcuff devices, commonly referred to as "Black Boxes", as an added security device when inmates are escorted into the community.

• This order is to be implemented within six months of the date of this decision.

 Communication System

• The employer is ordered to provide escorting officers with equipment which will allow direct contact with the policy during emergency situations.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Policy with regard to Hostile Situations

• The employer is ordered to amend the following directive, which appears on page 7 under the heading "Hostile Situations" in the current policy regarding community escorts and transportation (exhibit 42), as indicated by the bold print:

Where, on reasonable grounds, the officer believes that his/her safety or the safety of bystanders is in serious jeopardy, the officer shall be considered to have been taken hostage and shall comply with the directions of the assailant(s) unless on reasonable grounds, the officer believes an alternative strategy is less dangerous for the officer’s safety.

• This order is to be implemented in conjunction with the training to be provided to correctional officers, and within one year of the date of this decision.

 Visits

• The employer is ordered to amend its policy to provide that visits, other than from legal counsel and immediate family, shall not be permitted for escorted hospitalized offenders in the medium and low risk categories. However, the superintendent may authorize other visits for these offenders in exceptional or extenuating circumstances.

• This order is to be implemented within three months of the date of this decision.

 Vehicles

• Except in special, extenuating circumstances, or in situations of extreme emergency where no other means of transportation is available, vehicles which have been specifically purchased or retrofitted to meet the Ministry standardized security specifications for the transportation of offenders shall be used for that purpose.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Uniforms

• The employer is ordered to provide the correctional officers with a uniform which distinguishes them as correctional officers, and conveys that they are persons in authority.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Coveralls

• The employer is ordered to require that inmates on escort outside of the institution, wear fluorescent orange coveralls at all times, subject to medical and practical considerations.

• This order is to be implemented within one year of the date of this decision.

 Access to CPIC

• The employer is ordered to implement one of the precautions set out below, to eliminate risk to escorting officers, which may result from the lack of all available information regarding the inmate to be escorted:

• Provide direct access for shift-supervisors to CPIC;

• Delay escorts until CPIC information is available; or

• In the absence of CPIC information, treat all inmates as high risk, and take the appropriate measures.

 

• The employer shall amend its escort policy accordingly, within six months of the date of this decision.

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