Jail body scanners coming by year's end but lawyer skeptical

Days after an inmate was found dead in his cell of a reported overdose, the Ontario government says it's on track to have full body scanners at the Elgin-MiddlesexDetention Centre by the end of the year.

ACorrectional Services spokesperson could not confirm reports that the man died of an overdose. Drugs, however, have been an ongoing problem at EMDC.

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The jail has a full body scanner at its Regional Internment Centre, which houses inmates who serve their sentences on weekends but the main jail doesn't have one.

Current methods of contraband detection -including a body orifice scanner chair that detects metal, hand-held and walk-throughmetal detectors, strip searches and dogs -can't always detect itemsthat are non-metallic or hidden internally.

The scanners were first announced last year and willcost $9.5million, including maintenance over 10 years.

Lawyer Kevin Eganis leading two class-action lawsuits on behalf of current and former inmateswho are claiming damages over what they say are unsafe conditions at the jail.

He says a full body scanner would help curb overdoses and violence at the jail, but doubtsit will be installed by year's end.

"I'm not holding by breath," he said Thursday in an interview on CBC'sLondon Morning. "Itseems to me that not everything that gets promised gets delivered."

In researching his case, Egan has gathered horrific stories about overcrowding, assaults and drug use that he says is rampant.

"There certainly is a problem with contraband and the government has known about it for many years now," said Egan. "I've got clients who've been stabbed with steel-bladed knifes."

A statement from Corrections Services says staff are "vigilant in their efforts to detect and remove contraband" at the troubled jail.The statement also says the design work for renovations to accommodate the scanners is underway. EMDC staffare also training on the scanner already in place at the internment centre.

The province says it's taking other steps to improve safety and security at EMDCincluding:

• Hiring 239 additional staff, including nurses, social workers psychologists and recreation officers.
• Regular unit searches.
• Expanding canine units from one to four.
• Exploring options to shift oversight of health care to the health ministry.

Monte Vieselmeyer is the chair of the corrections division for the Ontario Publice Service Workers Union, which represents correctional officers.

He said the body scanners are key to making EMDCsafer for staff and inmates.

"Right now the drugs are coming in, especially with the fentanyl crisis. Any inmate that's taking any drug right now, they're basically playing Russian roulette."