The Manitoba government will place two uniformed police officers in the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg emergency department around the clock to improve safety for patients and staff, ministers announced Tuesday.
The initiative also includes installing five new weapon-detection scanners at the hospital’s main public entrances, according to Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.
The police officers will work alongside existing security guards and institutional safety officers to create what Wiebe called a “layered security response structure.” The deployment takes effect immediately, according to the government.
“By funding dedicated police officers within the Health Sciences Centre emergency department, we are taking a proactive step to create a more secure and supportive environment for those seeking care and those providing it,” Asagwara said.
The ministers said the program addresses the unique community needs of HSC while ensuring people in crisis receive dignified care.
The police presence forms part of wider security enhancements at the hospital, the government said. Other measures include reducing public access points, expanding the institutional safety officer program, upgrading security screening and communication systems, and strengthening security in the hospital’s tunnel system.
These improvements build on previous infrastructure investments in parking areas and other campus facilities, according to the ministers.
“This investment strengthens public safety at one of our largest hospitals,” Wiebe said. “It’s a smart, collaborative approach that benefits both law enforcement and the health-care system.”
The government partners with the Winnipeg Police Service to provide the officers, according to the announcement.
