Former Saskatoon police chief, head coroner to review hospital security practices

Saskatoon police Chief Clive Weighill speaks to media Oct. 21, 2014.

Saskatchewan Health has hired a former Saskatoon police chief to review security practices at the province’s hospitals, after a year that saw multiple scandals and one death in a confrontation with guards.

The Ministry of Health says the independent safety and security review will be conducted by Buckingham Security Services, a third-party firm run by Clive Weighill, a former Saskatoon police chief who went on to serve as Saskatchewan’s chief coroner.

In a news release Thursday morning, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the review “will inform further enhancements to safety in hospitals throughout our province.”

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Weighill is expected to take about six months to complete the review, focusing on the typical practices of third-party protective services officers and other safety protocols in the hospitals.

The Ministry of Health says concerns from staff and patients, and the “increasing volume and complexity of protective services interventions” have highlighted the need for a system-wide review.

In December, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) blacklisted several individuals employed by Gardaworld after a widely circulated Facebook video showed guards removing an intoxicated man from Victoria Hospital’s emergency room and leaving him in the snow.

Gardaworld has since replaced those guards. It’s not clear if the incident precipitated any changes to the scope of training provided by the company, because Gardaworld did not respond to multiple requests from CTV News.

A month later in Saskatoon, a 36-year-old man was killed in a confrontation with security guards at Royal University Hospital after they mistook a novelty cigarette holder for a gun.

Police said the victim, Trevor Dubois, was in possession of drugs and an imitation firearm at the time of the altercation, but his family has said the pink and yellow novelty cigarette holder would be tough to mistake for a real gun.

Few are disputing whether there’s a role for security guards in the province’s largest hospitals, and for Weighill, the goal is to build a system where everyone in the hospital feels safe.

“Safety is a vital part of Saskatchewan’s health system, impacting patients, visitors and staff,” said Weighill. “Identifying supports to enhance security will benefit those within the system and the public alike.”

Beyond conducting site visits at SHA facilities, Weighill will also be meeting with First Nations and Métis organizations, unions and staff.

“The Saskatchewan Health Authority is committed to ensuring safe environments for patients, families and staff,” said Andrew Will, SHA CEO.

“This independent review provides an important opportunity to strengthen safety across our facilities, and we will work in close collaboration with the review team as they evaluate current practices and identify opportunities for improvement.”

The health ministry emphasizes Weighill will not be responsible for investigating specific incidents, but focusing on the security system as a whole.

It says some actions to improve security are already underway, including installing metal detectors at the entrance of emergency rooms in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and North Battleford.

The SHA is currently seeking proposals for third-party security services for its facilities in La Loche, Shellbrook, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Nipawin, Melfort and Kamsack.