THUNDER BAY — With new technology, the Thunder Bay Police Service is launching a new program to keep people safe while in custody.
Inspector Joe Dampier, with the primary response branch, showed off a new military-grade heart monitor bracelet.
"This program, Custody Protect, is for monitoring those in custody. It provides us with some biometric information that will help us ensure the wellness of the people that are in our custody."
Wearing the heart monitor bracelet is voluntary, and it will be part of the screening questions when conducting prisoner intake at TBPS headquarters.
"We've had to establish a policy for its use," said Dampier.
"And part of that policy is also our training component, which all of the watch commanders and jailers will undertake. The information will go to a screen, an app that the watch commander and jailers will monitor."
The device monitors for changes in heart rate and location tracking and also features fall detection.
Watch commanders and jailers will receive special training before the devices are implemented, Dampier said.
"We are just finalizing our policy on it and the training will likely commence within the next week or so. We're hoping to have this rolled out within a few weeks, definitely by the end of May."
After two people died during separate incidents while in police custody, Dampier was asked why it's taken police 10 years to implement this kind of project.
"Because it's emerging technology," he said.
"We're, to our knowledge, the first in Canada to roll this out as a part of the pilot project."
A total of 20 units will be available, one for each holding cell and potential inmate.
Katie Nicholls is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Newswatch
