Ideally Williams Lake RCMP Insp. Warren Brown would like one dozen cell block guards. Right now he has six guards.
“People have retired, moved away or obtained another job, and we have a higher turnover of guards here,” Brown said, adding it’s a busy cell block.
“I’m not proud of the fact that it’s not uncommon to have 2,500 prisoners here a year.”
The guard positions will be casual employment with an opportunity to take on more full-time employment in the future, Brown added.
Guards would be expected to provide care for prisoners in custody at the Williams Lake detachment to ensure they are safe through regular checks, that they are fed and that any concerns the guards have are forwarded to the supervisors on duty.
“If the prisoners are ill or have special needs then those would need to be met and guards would also be expected to treat them fairly and respectfully,” Brown said.
There are always two guards on per shift — male and female.
Brown said there’s no rhyme or reason as to when the cells are busy.
There are 14 cells at the Williams Lake detachment and normally one prisoner per cell, unless things get really busy.
“If we have more than 14 prisoners then we start to double them up and put prisoners in with the best fit possible regarding who else is in custody,” Brown explained. “Youth would never be with adults and women would never be with men.”
Positions are open to males and females and will be part-time and on-call.
Applicants are required to have Grade 12, a valid Level One First Aid certificate and submit to an RCMP criminal record check.
They should also live within 30 minutes of the detachment.
Resumes will be accepted until 4 p.m. Aug. 9, to the attention of Nancy Brissard at the RCMP detachment, 575 Borland Street, Williams Lake.
