LEO's what do you think about this?

H

Harley Quinn

Moderator
No medical care while in holding jails.
*****
Ricky Kirk of Sacramento shows the scar he was left with following three surgeries to dredge skin and muscle from his arm after a 2-inch cut on his right palm became "grossly infected" while he was in the Sacramento County jail awaiting arraignment on a domestic violence charge in 2004.

Watchdog report: Questions persist over jail health care
Amid inmate complaints and mixed official reports, sheriff cites improvement.
By Christina Jewett and Dorothy Korber -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 18, 2005
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee
Get weekday updates of Sacramento Bee headlines and breaking news. Sign up here.

Anthony Jose Gonzales entered the Sacramento Main Jail last year with 10 fingers. He left with nine.
During the week after his arrest for drug possession, a splinter in his middle right finger became infected. He asked - then begged - for medical attention as the finger swelled to twice its normal size, turned green and oozed pus, he says. Jail and court documents corroborate his account.

Gonzales, 39, signed up for sick call, but no doctor saw him.
****

This seems to be going on at the Sacramento jail an awful lot. This is pretty bad. When I was on the Job Medical care was paramont for the person you arrested. But it appears not that way now.

Any comments.

Harley
 
This surprises me, especially given the size of the facility. We have strict protocols for prisoner medical care to the point that it's a pain in the backside sometimes. During an arrest, if the suspect says he sprained his thumb, knocked his elbow, has an itch, anything, and wants medical treatment, we have to take him to a hospital. They all know that & take advantage of it. Good way to avoid jail for awhile.

Once at the Jefferson County Justice Center, they can take advantage of the infirmary there, which has a full time nurse and a doctor on call. If they can't handle it, it's off to the hospital (again :mad: . Some go several times a week for BS complaints, which ties up officers for prisoner watch on an already short handed department.)

If they have an existing medical condition that requires (expensive) ongoing treatment, the city pays for it. Some get themselves arrested solely for that reason.

All of the above is meant to prevent law suits, which I would think would be Sacramento's goal as well.
 
My thoughts also

When you take a person's life into your hands and have to put them in a cell they need to be taken care of. It is just a responsibility you have being in the position of authority. It is a terrible undertaking. It is very important that these people receive proper care.

In days of old when the baton was swung with vigor and bones were broke the suspect was transported to County General and watched out for.
It ment so much extra paper work, but that is the way it was.

I feel that maybe some of these citizens are not so far off the mark when they complain of late. To lose a digit because of lack of simple care is disgusting. I am actually appalled that it is/has been happening so much.

When I was a younger guy in the carpenter trade (still am in the trade), we would let it fester and then cut it out and bleed. No doctor. But these guys in jail have no way of taking care of any thing. Sad. He would have been better off soaking it in urine. (old remedy) Really.

Where there is smoke must be fire.
I have a friend who works in corrections and most of the time he is nothing but babysitting and taking them to the doctor or the movies etc.. Not a job I would like.

Harley
 
You know, it seems like these officers could tell if someone's hand was getting infected. It seems like these two cases cannot be thrown off as "oh, we thought he was faking." Pretty disgraceful to me.
 
Well...... Nuts! Re-reading my post, it almost makes me sound like I'm siding with Sacramento. Believe me, not so.

When you take a person's life into your hands and have to put them in a cell they need to be taken care of.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, when there's a genuine problem. To ignore a visible, serious problem like that is nothing short of criminal, and I'll bet Mr. Gonzoles is soon to be a wealthy man ;) .

My dept., on the other hand, has taken it to the other extreme. Things like visible injuries, and non-visible things like chest pain, etc. have to be treated as serious. No question. But to have to take someone to the hospital ER for a half inch scratch or a headache or the sniffles or.... well, it just burns me that a little common sense can't be used.
 
If the story is true, then heads should roll proverbially and assuredly. There is no excuse for not providing proper medical care. If the story is not true, I hope Mr. Gonzalez is prosecuted.

I concur with Capt Charlie. In the facility I worked in, medical treatment was paramount, and was not to be trifled with. We contracted out to CFMG for medical care for the inmates.
 
I have seen prisoners that were so intoxicated that they couldn't articulate what was wrong. That is a danger when mistaking a diabetic emergency for a intoxicated prisoner. The normal intake screening in most jurisdictions involves a nurse and medical screening/medications interview. On a busy weekend/holiday, it could be time for release before it is conducted though.
 
Nice guy or bad guy, scumbag or no scumbag, guilty or innocent, it makes no difference. You have to provide ample medical care to the suspect/convict. Stand by for major changes at that place (I would hope).
 
I have seen prisoners that were so intoxicated that they couldn't articulate what was wrong. That is a danger when mistaking a diabetic emergency for a intoxicated prisoner.
Click to expand...
Very true. I made that mistake once, and hopefully never again :( . Had a fellow in a Stop 'n' Rob that was staggering all over, knocking down shelves, and claiming giant insects were after him. I suspected he was tripping on LSD or something similar. Did a tackle takedown and cuffed him. Called an ambulance, and paramedics immediately diagnosed him as being in insulin shock. They gave him some orange juice and he was fine a short time later. I stumbled all over myself apologizing :o .

By the way, the breath of a person in insulin shock smells like acetone (nail polish remover).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top