Pubdate: Sat, 15 Feb 2003
Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 The Kingston Whig-Standard
Contact:  http://www.kingstonwhigstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224
Author: Jennifer Pritchett

FEMALE PRISON GUARD ARRESTED, STRIP-SEARCHED AFTER DRUG TIP

Local News - A guard at Pittsburgh Institution was arrested last month and 
released without charges, the Correctional Service of Canada says.

"This individual remains an employee of CSC," said Monty McTaggart, a 
spokesman for the correctional service, based at the regional headquarters 
in Kingston.

"No disciplinary action is being contemplated as a result of this event."

McTaggart refused to say whether police are investigating allegations of 
corruption at Pittsburgh Institution, a minimum-security prison on Highway 
15, north of Highway 401.

"CSC is not prepared to comment further regarding the police 
investigation," McTaggart said.

The Whig-Standard learned that the incident involves a veteran female guard 
who was handcuffed, strip-searched and then released by police.

The guard had entered the grounds of the prison to report for work on Jan. 
15 when officers from the Ontario Provincial Police and Kingston Police 
swooped in and handcuffed her in plain view of co-workers and inmates.

Acting on a tip from Bath Institution that she might be carrying contraband 
into the Pittsburgh, police and a drug dog searched her car.

The guard was taken in a police car to the Gananoque OPP detachment where 
she was strip-searched and detained for a couple of hours.

She was later released without any charges laid.

She hasn't been back to work at the prison since the incident a month ago. 
It's unknown whether the guard will return to work.

Provincial police couldn't be reached for comment.

The joint forces penitentiary squad, based in Kingston, didn't return 
several phone messages.

The union representing federal prison guards declined to comment on the 
situation.

The incident bears similarities to another that sparked a civil lawsuit.

A Kingston Penitentiary guard was grabbed by police in a doughnut shop 
parking lot in Portsmouth Village last March and asked to submit to a search.

Police said they suspected the officer was planning to smuggle drugs into 
the prison.

No drugs were found and no charges were laid.

The guard, Andre Vezina, filed a lawsuit against correctional service 
officials and police.
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