The Regina Police Service is pleased to announce the addition of two, full-time Primary Care Paramedics to our Detention Unit (cells). The paramedics will help to ensure people in our care and custody have immediate access to medical professionals, when needed. For more information about our new initiative and to hear from the paramedics themselves, please watch the video:
Currently, the paramedics work alternating 12-hour night shift rotations. The night shift is often the busiest time in the detention unit. We hope to expand the service to a 24-hour offering in the future.
For several years now, the Regina Police Service has been studying best practices in police services across the country in the area of in-custody medical support. Police officers have basic first aid training and use that training often. 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. This initiative will also reduce the amount of time officers spend waiting at the hospital with those in their custody, keeping those officers available for calls out on the street.
Being able to look after the medical/physical needs of those in our custody compliments the mental health services we already provide through The Police and Crisis Team (PACT).