KINGSTON GUARDS FACE DRUG PROBE

5 Suspended Amid Allegations Of Drug And Alcohol Smuggling, Money Laundering

TORONTO -- Five Kingston Penitentiary guards were suspended yesterday in
the midst of an RCMP probe into drug and alcohol smuggling, money
laundering and thefts.

The suspensions follow the suicides two months ago of guards Dave and Gail
Perkins amid a police probe into allegations that one or both of them had
smuggled cocaine and heroin to inmates of the maximum-security prison.

Sources say the two-year RCMP probe had also zeroed in on Dave Perkins as a
potential drug-runner.

In suicide notes to relatives found with their bodies in their rural Bath,
Ont. home on New Year's Eve, Dave, 43, and Gail, 48, wrote the cryptic
statement: "The music is getting too loud ... and we can't face it any more."

The five guards were escorted from the prison at 2 p.m. yesterday.
Corrections Canada officials refused to give names.

CASH CHANGED HANDS

Sources say the RCMP probe uncovered evidence that small amounts of hashish
and some alcohol were smuggled into the prison and cash and stolen goods
also changed hands.

Prison guards told the Sun they are shocked by the allegations their
co-workers would smuggle drugs into the prison.

Prison sources say one of the five suspended guards is a high-profile
employee involved in organizing staff to join the fledgling Union of
Canadian Correctional Officers (UCCO) in its bid to oust the current
guards' union, the Union of Solicitor General Employees (USGE).

Corrections Canada spokesman Michele Pilon-Santili said yesterday none of
the five suspended guards have been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

But the five will face an internal disciplinary hearing into alleged
violations of professional conduct and discipline rules.

Pilon-Santili refused to detail the allegations behind the suspensions, nor
the nature and scope of the RCMP criminal probe, beyond confirming the RCMP
was asked to conduct a probe after warden Monty Bourke raised concerns with
Ontario deputy commissioner Brendan Reynolds.

RCMP spokesman Michele Paradis said RCMP, OPP and Kingston police officers
started a joint-forces task force probe into alleged wrongdoings at
Kingston Penitentiary in May 1998, but she would not reveal the nature of
the probe.

She stressed yesterday that the probe isn't over.

"As this is an ongoing police investigation, we are not saying anything
more than that," said Paradis.

"No charges have been laid ... privacy legislation dictates we cannot give
out anything unless it is in the public domain."

USGE vice-president John Edmunds said yesterday the suspensions were made
on "just allegations" and vowed the union will ensure the guards' "rights
are protected and their due process is not violated."

Edmunds said the USGE will offer representation to all suspended officers
regardless of any UCCO affiliation. When asked about the mood of other
staff in the prison, Edmunds said it is too early to tell.