January 22, 2013
Mr. Don Head
Commissioner
Correctional Service of Canada
National Headquarters
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9
Dear Commissioner:
The Police Pensioners Association of Ontario represents approximately 6,500 retired police personnel from all corners of the province including retiree associations in Toronto, York, Peel, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Windsor, Sudbury, Ottawa and many other communities.
We were outraged to learn that Warden Carol-Ann Reynen of the Abbotsford prison in British Columbia allowed convicted killer Elaine Rose Cece four escorted day passes in December 2011. This outrage was compounded when it was announced that Ms. Cece was released to a halfway house last week. This is after the National Parole Board denied a similar request 18 months earlier.
Warden Reynen's failed judgment in the Cece case and several others has caused Canadians to once again wonder whose in charge of violent and dangerous people, wardens with no common sense or their employer.
We respectfully request you undertake an immediate and detailed investigation into the actions of Warden Reynen for exercising such poor judgment in the Cece case. Ms. Cece was convicted and was given a life sentence in 1999 for the murder of Constable Billy Hancox along with her co-accused Mary Barbara Taylor. Ms. Taylor remains in prison but for how long?
I really can't put into words the impact of the decision of Warden Reynen to release Ms. Cece. Can you imagine the pain and sorrow the family and friends of Constable Bill Hancox are enduring because of this decision.
We hope you will respond to our urgent request for an investigation before another violent offender is released by a Warden. We recognize legislation will have to be introduced to prevent this from happening again but in the interim we urge you to monitor future releases with much more due diligence.
Sincerely
Paul Bailey
President
Police Pension Association of Ontario
