Union sounds alarm on increased violence against correctional officers
A correctional officer in Quebec was “left unrecognizable” after sustaining serious injuries in a violent assault by an inmate at the Sorel-Tracy detention center, northeast of Montreal, on Sunday afternoon.
The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m., Ève Brochu-Joubert, a spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec, said, according to CTV News.
A 39-year-old inmate struck the correctional officer approximately 15 times with a homemade weapon.
The officer is recovering in hospital in "stable but 'critical' condition,” and there are fears that he could lose his eyesight, according to the report, citing Novo Info.
The inmate is now being questioned by investigators.Police said they will hand over the file to the Quebec prosecution office for possible charges.
Syndicat des agents de la paix en services correctionnels du Québec – the union representing correctional officers in Quebec – is calling for more action to address the growing violence against correctional officers in the province.
Overall, there have been four reports of assaults against agents in the past three weeks, including three in the Montreal region, said Mathieu Lavoie, president of the group.
"We have called on our counterparts, we have called on the ministry to take action. They are thinking about it. It is no longer time to think, it is time to act," said Lavoie, adding that correctional officers have been asking for a long time to prioritize their safety, according to CTV News.
