Prison staff gave inmates cellphones
Staff at one of the country’s largest jails played favourites with inmates, allowing them access to cellphones during covert information-gathering operations.
A major Department of Corrections inquiry last year unearthed ‘‘extremely serious allegations’’ relating to ‘‘a number of substandard management and security practices’’ at Christchurch Men’s Prison.
The findings of the security review have been referred to the police, who are investigating.
Three of the jail’s senior staff – prison director John Roper, who is on a final warning, security manager John Cooper and residential unit manager Doug Smith – have been on ‘‘special leave’’ since concerns about ‘‘security procedures’’ at the prison were raised in May last year.
Stuff was leaked two pages of the department’s draft findings last year, which revealed elite guards from the prison’s
Site Emergency Response Team (SERT) illegally spied on inmates using unauthorised covert devices.
Corrections refused to release the full investigation report, which was completed in August, because it says it contains information that could prejudice the ongoing police investigation, endanger people’s lives and discourage confidential informants.
However, the chief ombudsman, following a complaint from Stuff, ruled a summary of the findings should be released, which Corrections made available late last week.
It says the department’s investigation report, which was passed to police late last year because of the ‘‘serious nature of the findings’’, ‘‘indicates noncompliance with legislation and security procedures’’, including the Corrections Act.
‘‘The issues identified as part of the security review relate to failing to action a number of intelligence reports and telephone monitoring disclosures, use of cellphones and the use of covert audio devices,’’ the summary says.
The review found staff gave ‘‘favourable treatment’’ to some inmates who, according to the leaked documents, were given cellphones during covert operations. Cellphones are contraband in prison.
An ex-prison guard, who did not want to be named, said playing favourites and giving inmates items like cellphones was dangerous and ‘‘against everything we’re taught at college’’. Prisoners could use the unauthorised activity to blackmail guards into getting them illicit items, the ex-guard said.
Canterbury district crime manager Detective Inspector Darryl Sweeney confirmed last week police were investigating a ‘‘narrow’’ part of the department’s findings.
Roper declined to comment because ‘‘it would be unethical for me to do so’’. Smith and Cooper could not be reached for comment.