Sask. justice minister says release of two inmates by mistake is unacceptable

"This is something that is not acceptable because it leaves public safety greatly compromised," Don Morgan said Sunday, the day after the arrest of one of the two prisoners.

Morgan said he's asked his deputy minister to determine what happened in the two cases, find out if similar errors have occurred in the past and to develop a system that will ensure it doesn't happen again.

He said interim steps are being taken to ensure that if a prisoner is mistakenly released or escapes, authorities and the public will be notified immediately.

"We're not operating a catch-and-release system," said Morgan. "We operating a judicial system and we have to have it working properly."

The justice ministry has said that Alan Mark Scott, 32, was released from Saskatoon provincial court last Monday. Justice officials thought Scott had been sentenced to time served, when he was actually given eight months in jail. The error was discovered the next day.

Saskatoon police issued an advisory Saturday afternoon asking the public for information leading to his arrest. Late Saturday, police said Scott was arrested without incident in Prince Albert.

Morgan said he first heard about Scott's release from a police officer who happened to mention it to him while they were attending a Crime Stoppers dinner Friday evening. The minister said that he and department officials should have been notified immediately to determine if a public alert was warranted.

"That's why I'm troubled by this," he said.

Deputy justice minister Doug Moen has said he only learned of the error on Friday night as well.

The second prisoner, John Albert Dumont, 29, was set free on Wednesday after being acquitted in a Regina court of a robbery charge. Dumont - who RCMP consider dangerous - was supposed to remain in custody for a court appearance Dec. 19 in Prince Albert on a robbery charge, and officials weren't notified for more than a day. He remains at large.

On Friday, Corrections, Public Safety and Policing Minister Darryl Hickie suspended his deputy minister over the Dumont incident and the subsequent time lag in notifying police and officials.

Hickie was outraged he wasn't notified immediately and said confidence in the system has to be questioned.

Morgan wouldn't comment on whether anyone in his department might be suspended.

"If disciplinary measures are appropriate, we'll certainly take them," he said.

"It's not acceptable for clerical errors to happen," he added. "The public has a right to expect better."