Police body cameras and better mental health training advised by fatality inquiry judge
The Canadian Press | Posted: January 27, 2017 11:08 PM | Last Updated: January 27, 2017
Aaron Campbell, 23, was found unresponsive in room at Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in February 2012
The judge heading a fatality inquiry into a Calgary man's death at a homeless shelter says better training is needed on how to deal with people with mental health and addictions problems.
Aaron Campbell was 23 when he was found unresponsive in his room at the Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in February 2012.
He had issues with addictions and was trying to deal with them.
Run-in with police before death
Days before his death, he had a physical run-in with Calgary police and was taken to hospital, where he was released after a mental health assessment.
An autopsy ruled the death undetermined, but Alberta's chief medical examiner later testified the death was due to a drug overdose.
Judge Joanne Durant concluded police played no role in Campbell's death, because physical injuries from his encounter with officers didn't kill him.
Durant instead pointed to the need for more training on how to deal with complex situations and suggested there be a special focus on de-escalating situations.
Recommendations for support workers
The judge's recommendations for client support workers at the Centre of Hope include:
- Increased training on addictions and mental health.
- Training in emergency first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation as well as on-site access to naloxone kits and training.
- Clear policy on when to seek the assistance of counsellors outside normal business hours.
- Strict adherence to a policy requiring clients to present hospital discharge papers prior to being readmitted into the addictions recovery program at the centre.
- Continued control of medication at the centre.
Durant also said that if officers had been outfitted with body cameras, circumstances in the case would have been clearer and may have made the inquiry unnecessary.
"The evidence would have been much clearer regarding what transpired between the officers and Mr. Campbell," she said. "The availability of this 'best evidence' would have been very helpful for this inquiry."
Judges in fatality inquiries cannot assign blame, but can only make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.