Health-care intervention will be offered to detained individuals at the Prince Albert Police Service experiencing addiction. (Photo 35009422 © Albund | Dreamstime.com)

By Teena Monteleone

enhanced care

Pilot project will see paramedics added to staff monitoring police cells

May 7, 2021 | 8:00 AM

Last year, the Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) made nearly 6,000 arrests; about half of them were for intoxication and the numbers are on track to be similar this year.

To ensure the safety of those detained, PAPS, Parkland Ambulance Care and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, through a roster of addiction medicine on-call physicians, have partnered to offer health-care intervention to detained individuals experiencing addiction – particularly those requiring support to stabilize and detoxify.

“We have a supervisor that previously had to determine when it was appropriate to call for medical support and now with a paramedic, who has a much higher level of training as it relates to health and has the equipment to properly assess and triage somebody, we will be able to assess properly when someone needs to go to the hospital and when someone needs to be monitored here in the detention centre,” said PAPS Chief Jonathan Bergen.

This one-year pilot project began May 1. Adding to civilian staff and a senior officer who work in the cell block at the police station, a senior paramedic will be available to oversee the detention area daily between 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

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In addition to the enhanced support for vulnerable residents, Lyle Karasiuk of Parkland Ambulance said the project will take some pressure off of the emergency department at the hospital.

“Maybe they can be cared for and handled while they are detained by the police service with treatment initiated and then follow up care with the person and our on-call addictions physicians to get the care they need following their detentions,” Karasiuk said.

Chief of Parkland Ambulance Care, Trevor Dutchak added, “We know that when we are able to assess and care for these people without delay, it improves their health outcomes and reduces the burden on hospitals.”

The project is funded through the provincial Mental Health and Addictions budget, specifically for individuals coping with crystal meth substance use and requiring detox services.

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teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MonteleoneTeena