EDMONTON — The Alberta government has lost a second bid to fire a correctional officer accused of using excessive and unreasonable force against a prisoner.
The Edmonton Remand Centre guard was authorized to carry pepper spray because an inmate had a history of being aggressive and threatening.
The guard pepper-sprayed the man and struck him during a strip search after the inmate threatened him.
Alberta Justice dismissed the guard, but that decision was over-ruled by an arbitration board.
The province then appealed.
A Court of Queen’s Bench judge ruled against the government, saying correctional officers constantly suffer verbal abuse and face a high risk of physical abuse.