The Ontario ombudsman is launching an investigation into the treatment of inmates at a provincially run jail after an avalanche of complaints from the public and prisoners. The backlash stems from an incident in which inmates were forced to strip down to their underwear and sit, wrists tied, facing a wall.
On Monday, Ombudsman Paul Dubé’s office said he would be probing the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s response to the incident that occurred at Maplehurst Correctional Complex back in December 2023.
The facility houses around 1,500 inmates and is rated as medium and maximum security.
The incident in question involved a crisis intervention team of correctional officers in part of the Maplehurst jail. During the event, the ombudsman said inmates were stripped down to their boxer shorts and forced to sit on the floor facing the wall, with their wrists zip-tied together.
Earlier this year, the Toronto Star released security footage relating to the event, including correctional officers dressed in tactical gear patrolling as inmates sat on the floor.
The ombudsman’s office said it had received 60 complaints about the incident, including from some directly involved. They also said several inmates have had their sentences reduced because of the incident.
“Several inmates and members of the public have contacted us to express concerns about the treatment of inmates by the ICIT over two days in December 2023,” Dubé said in a statement.
“The Ministry has already investigated the incident. What my investigation will cover is the steps the Ministry took as a result, and what it is doing to make sure something like this does not happen again.”
Global News contacted the Solicitor General’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The ombudsman’s office said his investigation will look at the government’s response and measures that can be put in place to avoid it happening in the future. It will not probe the conduct of individual correctional officers.