Calgary inmate’s suicide might have been prevented
Alberta judge recommends policy upgrades after Calgary inmate commits suicide
The fatality inquiry report into the death of Gene Elliott Moore at the Calgary Remand Centre (CRC) was released Thursday.
The 33-year-old was found dead in his cell of a self-inflicted razor wound in 2008.
Moore had been arrested on Dec. 6, 2008, for driving a stolen vehicle. During an interview with the arresting officer, Moore said he had a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver containing one round of ammunition and was planning to commit suicide.
During the time at the arrest processing unit (APU) and transfer to the CRC, provincial court Judge Cheryl Daniel found that not all policies pertaining to the man’s suicide risk were followed.
For example, the fact that Moore claimed he was suicidal was only marked in a hand-written note on the first booking sheet and the information didn’t make it onto the second and subsequent copies.
The information was also not verbally passed on to officers that took over APU at a later time, and it was never related to the bail hearing or CRC when Moore was transferred there on Dec. 8.
Moore was also not deemed a high risk for suicide by the first staff sergeant on duty and was still in his street clothes when he was transferred to CRC, not "Baby Dolls" or a white Tyvek suit — which is the mandated uniform for those on suicide watch.
Upon arriving at CRC, Moore was allowed to book out a razor that he said was for shaving. The razor was not returned, and so Moore’s cell was searched but he was only given a "pat down" and not strip-searched. The cell’s toilet was also not thoroughly searched according to policy. No razor was found.
On Dec. 13, Moore’s cellmate alerted authorities there was something wrong, but it was too late.
In the findings of the inquiry, Judge Daniel recommends improvements be made to the APU arrest release detention work flow process, filing booking reports and suicide prevention training for APU staff.
She also recommended random audits be performed by APU administrative staff.
Since 2008, APU commanding officer Insp. Tom Hewitt told the inquiry he interviewed his staff and changes have already been implemented. Hewitt also apologized to Moore’s mother for the shortcomings in the handling of her son.
The CRC policy surrounding razor searches was also reportedly changed since 2008.