The Regina Police Service (RPS) is continuing with its test of a new biometric monitoring system for incarcerated individuals, following it’s implementation a few months ago—with promising early results.
![Canadian Police Service Reports Positive Results from Biometric Prisoner Monitoring](https://findbiometrics.com/wp-content/uploads/policebadge-300x239.jpeg)
On March 19, the RPS equipped 10 jail cells with biometric monitoring systems, seven for men and three for women. The technology monitors detainees’ vital signs, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement, alerting staff to potential medical distress. Initially used in senior housing, the system has also increased the detection of concealed narcotics and contraband.
The implementation, led by Staff Sgt. Pierre Beauchesne, cost $37,594.50 with an additional $99 monthly per-cell monitoring fee. Although still in testing phase, Beauchesne reports signs that the system is working.
“The number of narcotics or concealed or contraband that’s being seized from those detainees has increased dramatically,” said Beauchesne
Earlier this month it was reported that the RPS became the first law enforcement department in Saskatchewan, and one of the first in Canada, to implement a biometric monitoring system within a detention facility. The system tracks can alert officers to potential medical distress to reduce fatalities and ensure timely medical intervention.
The initiative was motivated by the death of a detainee in August 2023, leading to a review of detainee care practices. At the time, Chief of Police Farooq Sheikh emphasized the RPS’s commitment to detainee well-being, highlighting the proactive use of technology to enhance public safety.
The biometric system’s deployment has already proven its value by alerting staff to three medical distress situations, potentially saving lives. RPS Chief Farooq Hassan Sheikh expressed a desire to equip all cells with this technology in the future, highlighting its importance in maintaining detainee health and safety while also enhancing security measures.
Source: CBC News
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May 31, 2024 – Tony Bitzionis
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