JUSTICE MINISTER CONCERNED ABOUT DELAYS IN PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

Justice Minister Don Morgan said he is very concerned about the length of time it took to notify senior officials and the public about two inmates who were mistakenly released this past week.

"The delay in public notification that occurred in two separate instances this past week is simply unacceptable," Morgan said.

Morgan said he only learned of the improper release of a Saskatoon inmate by chance.

"I was attending a Crime Stoppers dinner on Friday evening and a police officer at my table just happened to mention the mistaken release of the inmate in Saskatoon," Morgan said. "It was the first I had heard of it. I immediately contacted my Deputy Minister, who had not been notified either."

Morgan said both the Deputy Minister of Justice and the acting Deputy Minister of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing have been directed to ensure all of their staff are aware of their obligation to report similar situations to their supervisors so that the public can be informed promptly.

"As part of his review of these two cases, the Deputy Minister of Justice will ensure there is a clear protocol for dealing with these kinds of situations and that everyone understands it and follows it," Morgan said.

Morgan said the government's first concern is public safety and that public notification is an important part of this process.

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For more information, contact:

Neal Pobran
Executive Council
Saskatoon
Cell: 306-280-9937