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"This sentencing is a reminder for Public Safety Minister Mike Morris and B.C.’s court system to take notice of the extremely dangerous and violent conditions our officers are faced with every day.” — Dean Purdy, BCGEU Vice-President, Corrections and Sheriff Services
.Vancouver (16 March 2017) — A B.C. court judge handed down a 14-month sentence to an inmate of Surrey Pretrial Services Centre for assaulting a correctional officer. The victim, a long-time member of the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) was the target of a vicious assault using fecal matter.
The Crown asked for 12 months, but the judge sentenced the inmate to 14 months of additional time. The judge stated that it's the prisons’ responsibility to ensure the safety of their officers, adding that the incident was not just an assault but was dehumanizing and will have a physical and psychological impact.
Research shows prison violence on the rise
A victim impact statement prepared by the BCGEU/NUPGE was read out in court by Crown Counsel. The BCGEU/NUPGE and B.C. Corrections are working together on creating an impact statement template to be utilized by all B.C. prisons in the future.
“This sentencing is a reminder for Public Safety Minister Mike Morris and B.C.’s court system to take notice of the extremely dangerous and violent conditions our officers are faced with every day,” said Dean Purdy, BCGEU Vice-President, Corrections and Sheriff Services.
“This was an unprovoked and disgusting attack, and we’re hopeful the sentence will send a message to other inmates that it’s not okay to assault correctional officers,” said Purdy. “The job of correctional officers is already very difficult, but with the increase in gangs, inmates with mental health issues, overcrowding, and now the growing issue of high potency drugs and overdoses, it creates a work environment with extreme stress levels.”
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