Renovations to inmate cells at the Yellowknife Courthouse SA国际影视传媒� the final stage in a multi-phase modernization project SA国际影视传媒� began late last week.
Rear cells within the 49 Street building will be SA国际影视传媒渦pgradedSA国际影视传媒� in a bid to boost the security and safety of inmates and staff alike, stated Sue Glowach, a spokesperson for the GNWT Justice Department, in an email Monday.
When the current Yellowknife courthouse was established for the Courts of the Northwest Territories, there were only two courtrooms in operation, according to Glowach. Now, there are five.
SA国际影视传媒淭his work is necessary to increase safety for offenders in custody and those persons who work in or must visit cells, including , sheriffs, counsel and court staff,SA国际影视传媒� stated Glowach.
The makeover will also help ensure the separation of certain inmates and offenders including those with no-contact orders, she added.
The renovations aim to SA国际影视传媒減rovide for secure private visit rooms for counsel and court staff to meet with individuals in custody,SA国际影视传媒� stated Glowach.
Upgrades to the rear cells are expected to wrap up in July. In the meantime, there will be more back-and-forth transportation of inmates from North Slave Correctional (NSCC) and an increased use in video conferencing in a bid to SA国际影视传媒渕inimize the need of transfers for interim appearances,SA国际影视传媒� stated Glowach.
For inmates awaiting a court appearance who are SA国际影视传媒渦nable to be otherwise housed within the courthouse,SA国际影视传媒� as renovations continue, a new stationary prisoner transport vehicle will be used for SA国际影视传媒渢emporary secure detention of in-custody offenders,SA国际影视传媒� she stated.
The large vehicle, which rests outside the courthouse inmate transfer area, often flanked by police vehicles, was acquired from the Alberta SheriffSA国际影视传媒檚 office SA国际影视传媒渁t no cost other than the cost of transporting it to the NWT and some retrofit work SA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� stated Glowach.
Those costs came in under $4,000, Glowach later stated.
Once renovations are complete, the vehicle will be transferred to NSCC to be used as an inmate transfer vehicle.
The first two phases of the renovations SA国际影视传媒� completed in January after beginning in July SA国际影视传媒� saw upgrades to the buildingSA国际影视传媒檚 lobby and former library area on the first-floor to bolster accessibility and to SA国际影视传媒渞eflect increased use" of the facility, stated Glowach.
The total price tag of the three-phased project is $949,655.
