![['The Springhill medium security institution remains in lockdown following an inmate assault on Tuesday.']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/springhill-prison-3033648.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=enhance%2Ccompress%2Cformat)
SPRINGHILL – The medium security institution at Springhill is in lockdown.
The lockdown began at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Saturday to allow staff to conduct an exceptional search of the institution.
“The lockdown is based on intelligence information in terms of contraband in the population,” assistant deputy warden Shannon Oickle said. “The exceptional search allows us to search the entire institution, not just an inmate or a cell.:
Oickle said the search was ordered to ensure the safety and security of the institution, its staff and inmates.
Normal operations will resume as soon as it is considered safe to do so.
“If everything goes the way it has been going we would expect the lockdown to end sometime on Wednesday,” she said, adding the search will be looking for things like drugs, weapons and other contraband items.
Visits have been suspended until the search is completed.
The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to preventing the entry of contraband into its institutions. CSC also works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions.
