In late May, a parole officer issued an arrest warrant for an offender with a violent criminal record who had recently been released from prison in Saskatchewan and had since disappeared. More than 100 days later, Myles Sanderson remained on the loose after being named as a suspect in a stabbing attack that left 11 people dead — including his brother, Damien Sanderson, who was also named as a suspect — and 18 others injured in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, Sask. After a four-day manhunt, Sanderson was captured on a rural stretch of highway and died in custody after RCMP said he suffered “medical distress.” The tragedy has prompted scrutiny of how Sanderson managed to remain free in the months leading up to the attacks and how authorities should deal with violent offenders who break the rules of their release. Sanderson’s case seems to expose a loophole in the system. While the Correctional Service of Canada says it’s up to police to arrest offenders who violate their parole, police say the warrants for these suspects are among countless others that land on their desks to process. “That’s the problem,” said Scott Blandford, a former police sergeant in London, Ont. “It’s a finger exercise.” Sanderson had been released into the community in August 2021 on what’s called statutory release, which begins when federal offenders have served two-thirds of their prison terms. While Sanderson’s case has put the measure in the spotlight, one expert says it gives offenders time to reintegrate into society after living in a “strictly controlled prison environment.” “The vast majority are greatly helped when a period of reintegration support is provided,” Metropolitan University of Toronto criminology professor Jane Sprott said in an email. He said the alternative is to be “coldly released without any supervision or reintegration” after their prison terms, which increases their chances of re-offending. Four months into his freedom, Sanderson was found to have lied about his living arrangements and had his parole suspended. It wasn’t the first time he was found breaking such rules. Parole documents show he had been convicted of 59 offences, 28 of which were for failing to comply with parole conditions or failing to appear in court. His criminal record included violent attacks, including against people who were victims of his recent attacks. Sanderson asked the parole board to revoke the probation, documents show, saying he had gotten sober and found a job. Despite his parole supervisor recommending that his parole be revoked based on his “deception,” the board decided in February to revoke Sanderson’s probation and chose to release him on reprimand. But by May, the Correctional Service of Canada ruled he was illegally free and a parole officer issued a warrant for his arrest. A copy of that warrant, obtained by The Canadian Press, shows Sanderson was listed as having no fixed address. The Correctional Service says that in cases like his, prison officers contact an offender’s contacts to try to track him down, but ultimately it is up to the police to bring him in. “(We) will be working closely with the police to ensure they have all the information necessary to execute the warrant and return the offender,” a spokesman said in a statement. But Brian Sauve, president of the National Police Federation, which represents RCMP members, said unless it’s a high-profile case, parole authorities don’t proactively contact police when an offender offends. So what often happens is the perpetrator’s name just appears in a database. “They don’t pick up the phone.” Blandford, the former police sergeant, said arresting parole violators usually falls to the bottom of the work force for police agencies because officers are too busy responding to other calls. There are thousands of warrants issued every day across Canada, he said, and “only so many resources that can deal with it.” Last fall, the Saskatchewan government announced funding to create a special unit dedicated to apprehending fugitives. It would include eight RCMP officers and a crime analyst focused on catching “high-profile” offenders who were at large. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore referred to this initiative when asked how Sanderson managed to remain wanted until the attacks, saying “given the number of people with warrants in the province, they have to manage records as they are.” received. Whether the unit was actively investigating Sanderson’s case remains unclear. RCMP in Saskatchewan have not yet responded to a request for comment. It’s also unclear whether a joint Department of Corrections and parole board inquiry into Sanderson’s release — announced by Public Safety Secretary Marco Medicino after the tragedy — will investigate why Sanderson remained free until the attacks. Both Sauve and Blandford said there needs to be a policy change that would result in peace officers working for parole and correctional authorities so that those institutions can play a more active role in identifying offenders rather than relying solely on police efforts. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 13, 2022
