Pubdate: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 The Chilliwack Progress Contact: http://www.theprogress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562 Author: Katie Robinson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) 'NO DRUGS HERE,' SAYS PRISON OFFICIAL There are no drugs in Mountain Institution, says a prison official. A feat credited to drug interdiction strategies like the drug dog and ION scanner, both used to detect the presence of contraband drugs. "The strategies that we are employing are having a very positive effect," said Brenda Lamm, assistant warden management services. "Our track record here has shown that our drug interdiction here is targeting the right people. Drug activity in Mountain right now is nil, there are no drugs in here." Inmate visitors, however, are complaining that the ION scanner is not accurate, that it produces false results, and detects drugs when drugs are not actually present. Some visitors are also complaining that guards are not using consistent practices when operating the scanner. Lamm disagrees. "Each and every officer that operates the ION scanner cannot do so unless they are fully trained to operate it," she said. Guards are trained in the operation of the equipment, care of the equipment, calibration of the equipment, what to do if a visitor were to alarm on the equipment - they know what they're doing, said Lamm. Earlier this year, former warden Alex Lubimit told The Progress that drugs were quite prevalent in the prison when he had first started as warden in 2007. "That wasn't really the environment we wanted to have here," he said. And so, a tower was erected to stop drugs from being thrown over the fence; inmates involved in the drug subculture were identified and watched; and increased enforcement was put in place with the drug dog and ION scanner. It's working, said Lamm. "We process hundreds of visitors in and out of the institution every year and not everybody rings off on the ION scanner, so if the ION scanner is alarming, there's a reason why it's alarming, and we have to trust when it alarms," said Lamm. "For every visitor that rings or alarms on the ION scanner, there's 20 or 30 that don't." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom