Sask. government official suspended after 'dangerous' prisoner mistakenly freed

"The confidence in the system has to be questioned now," said Corrections, Public Safety and Policing Minister Darryl Hickie.

Late Friday afternoon, Hickie's department announced that Terry Coleman, deputy minister of corrections, public safety and policing, has been suspended with pay pending a review of the incident and the delay in notification.

John Albert Dumont, 29, was set free Wednesday from Regina Court of Queen's Bench after being acquitted of a robbery charge. But Dumont - who RCMP consider dangerous - was supposed to remain in custody for a court appearance Dec. 19 in Prince Albert on a robbery charge.

Hickie said that a provost RCMP officer, who was responsible for prisoner transport, called the Regina Correctional Centre after Dumont was acquitted Wednesday morning. The officer was told by a corrections worker to release Dumont, but the worker should have known that Dumont had a remand warrant of committal, said Hickie.

"That information is on a computer system at the correctional centre," the minister told reporters.

"The onus here is on when the worker at the corrections centre was phoned by the provost officer, did that officer in the correctional centre actually do what was necessary to ensure public safety and that the inmate was not released."

The error was discovered Thursday morning, but there was no public notification until later that evening.

RCMP said in a news release that they were only advised at 4 p.m. Mounties issued an alert Thursday evening that Dumont was unlawfully at large. They asked for the public's help for any information, but also warned that Dumont should be considered dangerous.

Hickie expressed outrage that he didn't find about the mistaken release until 4 p.m. Thursday.

In doing so, the minister also took aim at Coleman, who was briefed about the situation Thursday morning but didn't pass on word.

That could violate a policy introduced after six inmates broke out the Regina jail in August.

Corrections officials had taken heat then because the public alert about the escape wasn't issued until more than 14 hours after it happened. Hickie implemented a policy to alert the public right away if there is an escape from any corrections centre.

"I'm telling you right now, I'm not happy," Hickie said Friday.

"Based on my background in federal corrections and policing, public safety is the most important thing we have here. By not following my policy, is there a disregard for my policy and me as a minister? I don't know yet. It sure makes me wonder who is running the ship over there."

Two staff members at the Regina Correctional Centre have also been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation into Dumont's release. Hickie said disciplinary action would take place if warranted "at all levels."

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall called the situation "unacceptable," saying the public has a right to expect better.

"I know there's an investigation underway and I think that's important. We need to get to the bottom of this and make sure that it doesn't happen again," said Wall.

"People have a right to be safe."

An investigation is underway into the jail break in August and Hickie said a report is expected within two to three weeks. Hickie said he's also considering an operational review of Saskatchewan's corrections system.

"Do we have a system that doesn't properly function based on individuals being allowed to make decisions when maybe we need to have more communication? Maybe there's a way to look at our practices," said Hickie.

"This doesn't happen every day, but this shouldn't happen at all," he said.