Burnside jail inmate located after mistaken release
Second mistaken release of an inmate at the jail in the last few weeks
Another inmate was released by mistake from the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth today, and the Progressive Conservatives say the mix-ups could endanger the public.
A provincial justice official says Robert Eisnor, 40, serves time on weekends and was supposed to stay until 6 p.m. Monday. Instead, he was released at 6 a.m. Monday.
Can I say human error will never happen again? No.- Bill Smith, executive director of correctional services
The inmate was in jail for breaching a court order, but it's not yet clear what was his original offence.
Halifax police received the call around 7 a.m. Eisnor was found around 10 a.m. and brought back to the centre.
The Department of Justice says there was no risk to public safety. Bill Smith, the executive director of correctional services, said it seems that staff misread the release time.
"We're very concerned and we're acting upon that. But where there are humans, there will be human error," he said.
"If we need to change policy, or if we need something that could be done differently, or take best practices from somewhere else, then it's something we'll do. Can I say human error will never happen again? No."
Disappointed, but not surprised
But a Progressive Conservative MLA said the Liberal government must explain what's going wrong, as it's the second accidental release of an inmate in recent weeks.
"I’m disappointed this has happened yet again, but in no way surprised," Allan MacMaster said. "We saw the same incompetence from the Liberal government less than a month ago when a dangerous offender was mistakenly released from this facility."
Eliahs Knudsen Kent was wrongly released from the jail on Nov. 7, prompting a manhunt that resulted in his arrest the next day in Spryfield.
Halifax Regional Police said a 31-year-old inmate who was supposed to be released on that date allowed Kent to pose as him and be released instead.
"Nova Scotians deserve to have assurances that their justice system is working competently," MacMaster said. "These mix-ups wherein prisoners are mistakenly released does nothing to inspire that confidence and could be a threat to public safety."