JAIL RIOT ‘TROUBLING’
Extensive damage, no injuries reported following rampage at ‘super-jail’ that lasted six hours
B.C.’s representative for children and youth says overcrowding and gang rivalries likely contributed to rampage at provincial ‘super-jail’
Overcrowding and an increased number of rival gang affiliates at B.C.'s youth “super-jail” likely contributed to a rampage that lasted six hours and caused extensive damage at the Burnaby Youth Custody Services Centre Tuesday.
That's the early assessment by B.C.'s representative for children and youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, about a riot that broke out that evening at the centre on Fraser Park Drive.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development confirmed Wednesday that there was a serious incident involving extensive damage, including some fire damage, but released few details.
Andrew Cronkhite, the centre's director of programs, said in a statement the incident involved seven male youths ages 15 to 17 who extensively damaged furniture and electronic equipment after starting a small fire by putting paper into a toaster.
“The safety of staff and residents at the centre is our top priority,” said Cronkhite, adding there were no injuries to residents, staff or police.
"All of the youths are safe and accounted for, and the youths involved in the incident were contained within the centre at all times.”
Turpel-Lafond said she wasn't surprised tension at that centre boiled over into violence. The problem, she said, is the province last year shut down the Victoria youth centre, and minimized support services at the youth centre in Prince George, essentially creating one provincial “super-jail” for youth in Burnaby.
The increased number of gang-affiliated youth at this “super-jail” is a major concern, she said, especially when gang members from Prince George are housed with rival members from Surrey.
“There are a number of delicate issues today ... it is very troubling,” she said.
“We need a thorough review of this situation.”
Cronkhite said there is no indication rival gang tensions were a root cause of the incident.
“The primary motivating factor behind the incident appears to have been a room search earlier in the day, which resulted in a loss of privileges.”
Turpel-Lafond said she has been tracking a rise in assaults, saying attacks on officers and on other youth at the Burnaby centre are “routinely reported.” She would like the ministry to revisit closing youth detention centres as a cost-saving measure so youth are not centralized in one jail.
Mounties were called to contain the incident shortly after 8:30 p.m., but the situation wasn't under control until about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
At 1:30 a.m., six fire trucks and 19 firefighters were sent to the centre after receiving reports that flames were shooting out the window.
Burnaby assistant fire chief Bryan Kirk said firefighters were told eight prisoners had barricaded a door with furniture.
“I guess they are allowed to go out and smoke so they have access to lighters,” Kirk said.
He said household items and broken furniture were set on fire behind the barricade. Firefighters put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher before there were any injuries or smoke inhalation.
Dean Purdy, chair of correctional and sheriff services with the B.C. Government Employees Union, said the incident started when several youths in a living unit began rioting.
“They smashed tables, chairs, microwaves, and destroyed a dishwasher, the kitchen fridge and broke sprinkler heads, which are very expensive,” Purdy said.
The youths then smashed their way into a second living unit where they caused more damage to furniture. Purdy said the youths masked their faces to hide their identity from cameras, and broke the legs off chairs to use as weapons.
In one room, they caused some flooding damage.
He said he was not surprised this level of violence occurred at the centre, saying the number of prisoners has increased since the Victoria youth centre was shut down last year. He also said the type of prisoner has changed, that they now have more youths with mental illness and more gang affiliates than in past years. “It was very serious. Tension is very high inside,” he said, adding there has been an increase in the number of assaults on officers and on youth detainees over the last year.
“Our members are fed up with a lack of consequences for the kids who act out or don't follow directions,” he said.
“Officers are dealing with assaults — anything from being punched, kicked, spit on, to having liquid thrown on them. We have heard of a variety of different assaults. Youth-on-youth violence has also increased.”
No arrests were made and the investigation has been turned over to the ministry.
Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said Wednesday they are aware that youth involved in gang or quasi-gang activity have been in correctional facilities for many years.
“This is nothing new and people should not be surprised at it given that youth are recruited into gang/ drug activity," Houghton said.
He said the Red Scorpions, the gang behind the infamous 2007 Surrey Six killings, was founded by Michel Le in the Burnaby centre.
Cronkhite said although the union linked the incident to rising tensions at the site, “There have been no grievances about safety in the workplace nor has the union brought these concerns directly to the ministry.
“Further suggestion that the closure of the Victoria Youth Custody Centre is somehow linked to this incident is misleading, given the fact that the youths who were involved in this incident are from the Lower Mainland and the Interior.”
Cronkhite said the centre is fully staffed and at 51 per cent capacity with a total of 43 youths housed there.