Dartmouth jail staff must wear protective vests

Bulletproof vests are now mandatory for guards at Nova Scotia's largest jail, where a guard was stabbed with a pen last week.

Justice Minister Ross Landry issued the order Wednesday after visiting the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth. A joint committee of guards and jail managers endorse the move.

The Justice Department is phasing in the new policy, starting in the north unit of the jail where most of the violent incidents occur.

Under the new rule, guards will have to wear a protective vest in any situation where they may have to deal with an inmate.

A guard was punched Friday evening while escorting a prisoner. The next afternoon, another guard was stabbed in the abdomen with a pen while inspecting a cell.

Earlier this week, an inmate tried to headbutt a guard.

Landry said the vests may deter other attacks on guards, but he maintains that the jail is safe.

"Absolutely this is a safe environment. Are incidents going to occur? Of course. Do we have good people working here? We have great people working here. Do we need to improve? Absolutely," he said.

Vest policy to extend to other jails

The province already has 300 protective vests for guards to wear while transferring prisoners or escorting them on medical appointments.

Landry said the plan is to extend the new vest policy to the province's other four jails within a year, which would mean ordering another 150 vests, at a costs of about $660 each.

"We can't be all things to all people at all times," he said. "So what we have done today is we're taking this step and we're looking to expand it throughout all corrections officers to have vests, and that will take time."

The jail's superintendent, Russell Partridge, said guards will feel better wearing the extra layer of protection.

"They'll feel that they're not as at risk as they were before."