| Toledo Hospital Can't Hold Patients Who Are Suspects |
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| Written by Jeff Garvas | |
| Wednesday, 13 July 2005 | |
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The Toledo Blade is reporting that a Toledo Hospital has indicated it is not responsible for a suspect who led police on a chase, crashed on I-280, and left the hospital after being treated. From the story:
"As a provider of health-care services, we do not have the legal right or authority to arrest or detain individuals. We work to communicate with law enforcement as much as possible within our rights. Police have the ability to arrest an individual while they are a patient and are then obligated to provide a police guard." As this story suggests, it seems the hospital is assuming no responsibility for the safety of their patients or visitors and the Toledo Police Department is obviously understaffed and cannot provide the manpower for protection. Who then is responsible? Thanks to the legislators in Ohio, the answer seems to be that no one is. There is no liability on the hospital's part for disarming it's visitors. Fortunately in this case the perpetrator left without causing harm to anyone. However, as we have reported many times this has not always been the case. Comments by Larry S. Moore, OFCC Senate District 10 Coordinator: The hospital can't hold people who are suspects in crimes according to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center policy as reported in the Toledo Blade. Fair enough in that hospitals don't have police powers and most of the security guards are unarmed and unprepared to deal with detaining criminals. The hospital should have a policy to quickly notify the police. However Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre is quoted in the Toledo Blade story as saying his department can not afford to put a guard on every suspect in the hospital due to manpower limitations and costs. I guess Chief Navarre has plenty of money for fuel, tires and vehicle repairs following high-speed pursuits. Readers of this site will recall that Toledo has plenty of money to manufacture and post no gun signs at Toledo parks. There were plenty of police available during one citizen's recent protest and arrest at a Toledo park for violating the parks no gun signs. The bottom line in Toledo appears to be that the hospital is not responsible for suspects, or the damage they do after being released, and the police can not guard suspects. So who is left looking out for the honest citizens of Toledo? Maybe Mayor Ford? Or maybe no one? Are the citizens of Toledo prepared to look out for themselves? This story certainly indicates there is a need for self-defense and concealed carry in Toledo. Related Stories: Inmate flees ''no-guns'' hospital after ''nearly taking life'' of officer VICTIM ZONE: Thief cuts man, 79, during assault in hospital garage Robberies in ''no-guns'' victim zones continue |