BCC preps for tougher drunk tank policy

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This article was published 05/01/2018 (3082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Correctional Centre will make it harder to enter the drunk tank in the near future.

People entering custody late at night who appear to be intoxicated will soon have to be assessed by a nurse, doctor or paramedic upon admission. During overnight hours, staff at the jail currently makes that decision without a medical professional.

In addition, intoxicated prisoners arrested by rural police detachments with jail cells, such as Virden RCMP, will no longer send prisoners to Brandon, it appears.

A spokesperson with the department did not answer a question Thursday whether BCC would prevent rural police departments with their own jail cells from sending drunk prisoners to Brandon. A Virden RCMP member, however, indicated they must hire more prison guards to accommodate the influx of people expected to sober up under their watch.

The procedural changes will take effect at the end of January, according to Manitoba Justice.

Police departments around Brandon are worried the requirement of a medical assessment — essentially, a doctor’s note — will stretch the time of working officers thin.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to add a bit of a frustration level to some of the officers if too much pressure is put on them, or calls start piling up when they’re sitting in a hospital,” said Blue Hills RCMP Cpl. Mike Boychuk, noting BCC is “rightfully” concerned about the medical fitness of any person they admit. His detachment does not have the facilities to lock up the people they arrest.

He predicted the detachment might have to contact on-call or off-duty members if a significant call arises and members are tied up in hospital.

A Manitoba Justice spokesperson wrote in an email the policy was amended to ensure the health and safety of individuals.

“There are other conditions that mimic intoxication, which is why this assessment is important. This approach to dealing with intoxicated persons is already in place for custody admissions in Winnipeg.”

The spokesperson added a nurse at the jail normally determines medical fitness, but a medical check will soon be required when the individual is not available.

Rivers Police Service Chief Bruce Klassen understands BCC’s rationale, he said. But “it’s a burden on an already stressed medical system and it’s a burden for us, insofar that it’s tying up a member for a longer duration than we’re accustomed to.”

The Brandon Police Service stated discussions are ongoing between themselves and BCC, so the status quo of the police force only permitting the grossly intoxicated for medical assessment will remain.

The change to Brandon’s jail is not expected to affect detachments in Yellowhead and Spruce Plains, which already have a number of overnight cells within their jurisdictions.

In Virden, RCMP are searching for part-time guards.

“We need people to come by, fill out some applications so we can get guards to start working and hopefully use the cells here as opposed to transporting to Brandon,” said Cpl. Aaron Bailey.

Bailey said the detachment has long wanted to bolster the capability of their four operational jail cells to prevent officers from making the nearly hour-long drive into Brandon. The announcement from BCC late last year forced the detachment to find additional staff quickly.

Bailey expects one guard to be on shift at all times on weekends. During the week, it would be on an as-needed basis.

Spruce Plains RCMP acting Staff Sgt. Mark Morehouse said recruiting guards is a challenge for every detachment, including his, which detains people in Minnedosa and Neepawa.

“We have guards, but to be able to say that they’re able to come, that’s another thing,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen, what we have to do is call a member in on double overtime and they have to sit with the prisoner.”

Of the mainly retired guards the detachment employs, some are snowbirds who go on lengthy vacations or, simply, can’t always be reached in the dead of night.

“It can be nip and tuck.”

Morehouse said the pay, a few bucks above minimum wage, is a stumbling block to recruitment. The wage exceeded $20 per hour years ago.

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