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The Regina Police Service (RPS) is adding medical personnel to its payroll.
In a media release Tuesday, the RPS announced that it has hired two full-time paramedics to be assigned to the detention cells at the police headquarters downtown. They will ensure people taken into custody by police will have guaranteed access to medical help when it’s needed.
The release notes the night shift is when the RPS has the highest number of people in its cells. The paramedics will be working 12-hour night shifts, with an eye to moving to 24 hours a day in the future.
The RPS says it’s a “best-practices” move that many services are making.
“Police officers have basic first aid training and use that training often,” states the release. “In more serious situations, EMS is called to the RPS detention unit and the person experiencing a medical emergency may be taken to hospital. Having a Primary Care Paramedic on hand in the detention unit allows for immediate treatment and assessment and also provides a starting point to connect people with ongoing medical care they may not have had otherwise.”
The RPS is also hoping it will cut down the time officers spend waiting at the hospital, which is a frequent and often lengthy experience. Regina Police Chief Evan Bray has in the past stated frustration over the amount of time officers are off the street while accompanying people to the hospital.