BOWDEN — A thorough search of Bowden Institution after a lockdown ordered by the warden on Saturday didn’t turn up anything of noteworthy importance, but it was a worthwhile exercise anyway a prison official said
“It’s been largely uneventful and nothing of significance” has been turned up, Dan Spiller a prison spokesman said late Sunday.
Spiller said the lockdown of the 662 medium and minimum security prisoners was expected to be lifted sometime Monday.
The search was conducted to ensure the safety and security of the institution, its staff and inmates as a result of ongoing observations and intelligence gathered during a 24-hour period prior to the start of the lockdown, Spiller said.
“We’re conducting a thorough search of everything and everywhere, and when the warden is satisfied it’s alright to open up, we’ll unlock and go from there,” Spiller.
Prison officials were looking for illegal items, such as weapons either homemade or otherwise, illegal drugs, booze and other contraband.
“Ensuring the safety of security, staff, the public and inmates remains the highest priority in federal prison operations, Spiller said.
Smuggling drugs into the prison has always been a concern.
In the last three weeks, two female members of the public were sentenced in Red Deer court to federal jail terms ranging from 28 months to 32 months for attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison.
One of those convicted was a former Corrections Canada officer who worked at a women’s prison in the Edmonton area but wasn’t employed by Corrections Canada at the time.
Illegal drugs in a prison result in a myriad of problems for staff and inmates.
Those possessing the drugs hold more power and the presence of drugs greatly increases the violence level for officers and inmates.
Bowden Institution is ranked as having one of Canada’s largest federal prison population.
It’s staffed by about 450, including about 200 corrections officers.
The prison is undergoing building expansion as well.
Ottawa’s decision to house nearly 146 more prisoners at Bowden Institution through a new $25-million expansion.
The federal government will expand both the medium and minimum security areas of the prison during the next two to three years because longer sentences are expected under new Ottawa rules.
Ottawa announced last year that the minimum-security annex (farm), built in 1989, would be expanded to add 50 more inmates to the present 80. Work is expected to be finished by late 2011.
About 50 additional beds will be added in the medium-security area, with completion slated in 2012 or 2013. This portion will cost $15 million, while the remaining money will go to the minimum-security portion.
The prison opened in 1974 and had an inmate capacity of about 450 at that time.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com