Saskatoon’s police board has approved a recommendation for paramedics to be staffed in the city’s detention cells 24 hours a day.
Chief Clive Weighill made the recommendation, for 24/7 staffing, at Thursday’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting.
The move comes after 38-year-old Michael Ryan died in police custody in February. The death was the second death in three years in which a person died in Saskatoon’s detention centre while a paramedic was not on duty.
Paramedics are currently in place for 12 hours overnight at a total cost of about $245,000 per year.
Weighill said he's hoping to see 24-hour staffing launch around June 1 — a move that would cost an additional $163,000 for the remainder of the year.
