Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 01/02) - RCMP say they are already acting on recommendations that came out of coroner's inquest into the death of Vawn Ruthven.

Jury recommendations following an inquest into the death of Vawn Ruthven, shown here with her husband, Fred, are aimed at preventing suicide deaths of psychiatric patients at Stanton Territorial Hospital. - photo courtesy of Fred Ruthven

The jury recommendations which came out of the inquest are not legally binding, but the Yellowknife detachment of the RCMP said it is taking steps to address concerns.

One of the suggestions to police was that it should maintain a current contact list of hotels and other places of refuge. This came after the jury was told the RCMP had surveyed local hotels in search of Ruthven, but did not have a contact number for the Super 8 Motel.

Ruthven was found dead March 14 in a room at the motel. She had consumed a lethal dose of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Sgt. Al McCambridge said all recommendations have been reviewed by the detachment commander and the officer in charge of the 'G' Division Criminal Operations.

"We'll be holding meetings with the various agencies ... but right now our primary focus is on enhancing our front-line policing service with Stanton Hospital ..." he said.

RCMP contact lists for local hotels are reviewed annually, explained McCambridge. The Super 8 Motel was not on that list because it was a new hotel. It has since been added.

The RCMP were also advised to replace any officer on long-term leave to ensure staffing levels remain constant. The jury heard testimony that three officers were on maternity leave at the time of Ruthven's disappearance.

Chief coroner Percy Kinney said it's only common sense that the RCMP replace any officers on leave.

"It's fine if you've got three, four, five officers on extended leave such as maternity leave ... but the reality is you have three, four, five less on the street.

"It's pretty obvious ... if you're short then you're not fully staffed operationally, even though you might be administratively.

"What would they do if they had 10 officers on maternity leave? What would they do? You can't leave the place un-policed and say 'We're fully staffed,''' said Kinney.

"The issue is that the potential to be shorthanded is there and it's the next death that we're trying to prevent," he said.

Another issue that came up during the inquest was the protection of patient confidentiality when the hospital releases information to the RCMP in trying to locate a missing patient.

But McCambridge said it's RCMP policy to protect any information provided in any sensitive cases that may arise.

"If we have people that are subject to an investigation as either a witness or a victim, we don't disclose that information ...," said McCambridge.

At one point during the inquest Ruthven's husband, Fred, stressed the need for Stanton to relax their policies on releasing information to police. He said his wife's death could have been prevented if the RCMP had been provided with more information.

"That information will assist us in doing our job," McCambridge said.

"There are privacy issues, but if you're going to be a leader in the community you have to take risks, but you have to take informed risks.

"If we weren't to share that information, people would be at risk," he said.

The RCMP and the GNWT's Department of Social Services have in place a memorandum of understanding that allows them to exchange information on sensitive investigations.

McCambridge said the RCMP are exploring the possibility of developing a similar agreement with Stanton Territorial Hospital.

"We're hoping to make this not just for Yellowknife but for other hospitals in the Northwest Territories," he said.

As for the non-replacement of officers on extended leave, McCambridge said he could not comment.

"That's a national policy issue."