THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay District Jail is one of 10 adult correctional facilities that will receive a new drug detection tool, the provincial government announced Thursday.
The Ontario government is installing ion scanners at correctional facilities across the province in an effort to combat contraband entering facilities, enhance security and improve staff and inmate safety, the province said in a news release.
Ion scanners are security tools used to detect and identify trace elements of drugs and are an added layer of security available to correctional staff to help prevent illegal substances from entering facilities, the release said.
“Detecting and preventing the entry of contraband is critical to keeping Ontario’s correctional facilities safe,” Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said in a news release. “Our government is committed to equipping our corrections staff with modern tools and technology they need to do their job safely and ensure continued security.”
Currently, adult correctional facilities in Ontario use various methods to detect, prevent, confiscate and reduce contraband within institutions including body scanners, hand-held and walk-through metal detectors, strip searches and canine units, according to the news release.
Work is currently underway to train staff at the selected institutions to have all ion scanners fully operational by the summer.
The Kenora jail and Sudbury jail will also receive ion scanners in the northern region
For the full list of correctional facilities receiving ion scanners, go here.
