Biometric Sensors to be Installed in Nunavik Holding Cells
The Nunavik Police Service is planning to install biometric health sensors in its holding cells. These devices will remotely monitor the vital signs of people in custody to improve their safety.
The sensors, developed by a South Korean firm, track heart and breathing rates. They send alerts to officers when there are changes in these vital signs, allowing for quicker responses to potential health issues. Nunavik has experienced five alcohol poisoning deaths in holding cells since 2017. This technology aims to help officers identify and react to medical emergencies more effectively, especially when differentiating between sleep and unconsciousness is difficult.
Deputy Chief of Nunavik Police Services, Jean-François Morin, points out the lack of alternative resources in smaller communities, often resulting in intoxicated individuals being held in cells. He expresses hope that the technology can save lives.
This technology has already proven effective elsewhere. Regina’s police service began using the sensors last year, equipping a dozen cells. Staff Sgt. Pierre Beauchesne from Regina reported that, in just eight months, the sensors led to rapid interventions that saved lives in four cases.
The Sarnia, Ontario police station has also been using the sensors since June 2024.
While the sensors offer a solution to immediate health concerns, the lack of alternative resources, such as sobering-up centers with medical staff, remains a deeper issue. Etua Snowball, director of Kuujjuaq’s Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Center, emphasizes the importance of regional collaboration to create safe and sustainable changes and prevent future tragedies.
Morin highlights that some individuals detained in police cells ideally should be in different settings, like centers with medical support and regular follow-up care. “If there were a sobering-up centre where there were medical staff, security, and where people could have more regular follow-up, we think that might be one of the solutions,” he said.
“Knowing that this technology could save lives, we plan to install it in every cell of our police stations,” said Morin.
“These tragic events are difficult for everyone involved, their families, the region, and reveal the problems we face in Nunavik,” Snowball said.
“These deaths also demonstrate that it’s crucial for us to work at a regional level to generate safe and sustainable changes, and to implement solutions preventing similar situations in the future,” he added.
