Criminal past doesn’t rule out jail guard work, RCMP says after First Nation holding-cell sex assault

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This article was published 25/03/2022 (1593 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

People with criminal pasts are sometimes approved to work as civilian jail guards in remote communities, Manitoba RCMP have acknowledged after a guard with two assault convictions was charged this week in an attack on a woman inside a northern holding cell.

The 39-year-old woman reported the assault at about 9 a.m. Saturday, RCMP said Thursday. The woman had not been charged with any offences, but was put in the cell overnight at the RCMP detachment in Little Grand Rapids. The guard is alleged to have entered the woman’s cell, offered her alcohol and inappropriately touched her several times, RCMP said.

Donald James Fraser, 54, was arrested Sunday and later released. He has been charged with sexual assault and is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Little Grand Rapids July 27.

A Free Press review of court records shows Fraser has twice been convicted of assaults committed in Winnipeg — one on April 19, 2002 and another on Dec. 15, 2003. He was also convicted of theft under $5,000 in June 2009.

“In remote communities, the Manitoba RCMP relies on people residing in the community to act as cell guards…. A criminal past does not necessarily exclude someone from working as a cell guard. We review many aspects of that criminal past, such as the type of offence, when it occurred, and what has happened since,” spokeswoman Tara Seel told the Free Press.

She added all guards are trained in and are expected to follow RCMP policies and procedures.

“When a guard fails to do so, it is addressed, as in this case, where charges of sexual assault were laid and he is no longer a guard at the RCMP detachment,” Seel said.

“It is paramount that all people entering our cells are kept safe and secure.”

National not-for-profit security company Corps of Commissionaires employed the civilian guard, but he’s no longer with the company.

Bryan Payne, CEO of the provincial branch Commissionaires Manitoba, also said the hiring process is unique, especially in places such as Little Grand Rapids, a fly-in community near the Ontario border, where employment opportunities are limited, as is the availability of employees.

He stressed that the decision on any hire is ultimately made by the RCMP.

Some potential employees are recommended by the company, while others are recommended by RCMP.

“In smaller communities, from time to time, there are individuals that are identified that may have had interactions with law enforcement due to a range of socio-economic conditions which are unique to those communities,” Payne told the Free Press.

“That judgment call as to whether or not the individual is acceptable to the RCMP for employment is made by the RCMP and then we hire based on their recommendation that that individual would be acceptable for work.”

However, all prospective employees are subject to the same background and criminal-record check and RCMP verification, Payne said.

Asked directly whether the company itself was aware of the accused’s criminal record, Payne repeated that it’s the RCMP’s responsibility to conduct “a full, appropriate background check according to their requirements and standards, and the (force) approve that employee for employment.”

He said his understanding is the decision is made by local detachment command, rather than by provincial headquarters.

“This is a unique and unusual circumstances — it’s highly unfortunate… it’s extremely serious,” he said.

However, he noted the alleged assault was an anomaly and stressed that the vast majority of his employees do good work.

The company employs more than 500 people across the province who can be stationed anywhere the RCMP has a detachment.

Little Grand Rapids is about 370 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and is accessible by plane and winter road. The First Nation is across a lake channel from Little Grand Rapids. There were just 810 residents in the 2016 census.

Chief Oliver Owen was surprised to learn the accused had a criminal record, when the Free Press reached him by phone Friday. He noted Fraser is not a member of the First Nation but has lived there for about 12 years.

“Now… he’s going to have to leave,” Owen said.

He spoke with a community member Thursday, who told him the accused hadn’t been in trouble in the community before.

Of the alleged sex assault, Owen said he was at a loss for words.

“It’s kind of shocking, for one thing — like, it happens in jail? The guy was a guard and there’s cameras there,” he said.

RCMP detachments in Manitoba have a list of guards contracted through the organization. People are contacted when needed and come in based on availability, Seel told the Canadian Press in an email Thursday. She confirmed there is security footage of the cells.

RCMP said Thursday the guards are allowed in cells without an officer present only in an emergency. No officer was there when the accused is alleged to have entered the victim’s cell.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera