ESTEVAN, Sask. — The Estevan Police Service (EPS) is reviewing the recommendations of an inquest into the 2023 shooting death of Justice Guillas.
The inquest was held Nov. 2 and 3 at the Western Star Hotel in Estevan. A six-member jury delivered five recommendations to the EPS, based on testimony provided by nine people.
"I don't think there's too much that was surprising. There's a few that we certainly already have in place that we just have to do a couple little moves in order to make sure that they meet with the recommendations by the jury," said Estevan Police Chief Jamie Blunden in an interview with SaskToday.
Other recommendations are ambitious and will be discussed by the Estevan board of police commissioners to see what the EPS can do, he said.
Background
Guillas, 19, was arrested by the EPS on Nov. 1, 2023, in connection with the death of his mother, Karie Ann Guillas. While at the police station, an altercation took place. Guillas shot EPS Sgt. Braden Lonsberry, who survived the incident and returned to work weeks later. Guillas was then shot by EPS Const. Craig Bird.
EPS officers provided lifesaving measures until Estevan Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived and took over his care. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital and then to Regina General Hospital. Guillas died during surgery at 3:50 p.m. on Nov. 1.
The jury's recommendations were:
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Forensic identification officers entering a room with a detainee must wear a department-issued bulletproof vest or full patrol uniform;
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All on-duty members must wear Level 3 holsters for their firearms;
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When reasonable, all firearms must be placed in lock boxes before entering spaces with detainees;
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Develop and enact a crisis response protocol when two or more people are injured in police custody, which the jury said would ensure adequate and equitable care is provided to all parties involved; and
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Have a worker from the EPS Police and Crisis Team (PACT) available at all times.
Coroner Brent Gough presided over the inquest. In addition to legal counsel, members of the jury and Justice Guillas' father, Richard, could also ask questions of the witnesses.
Measures in place
Blunden noted forensic identification officers entering a room with a detainee must wear a department-issued bulletproof vest or full patrol uniform. He believes the EPS executive needs to reinforce the requirement for officers to wear them and possibly make minor changes to the policy.
The EPS also has a full protocol for critical-incident response.
After the incident, the EPS made changes to its holster policy. Officers now cannot enter the detainee area unless they have a Level 3 holster. If an officer doesn't, the firearm has to be secured in a lock box outside the detainee area.
"Some of our members aren't in a position to be able to, it's restrictive with respect to a Level 3 for everyone," said Blunden. "We are going to look at implementing that recommendation in some form or fashion."
For specialized investigations and undercover work, Level 3 holsters could be restrictive.
Having somebody available at all times for the PACT unit would be a "huge undertaking," he said, and would require discussions with the provincial government.
One officer is currently part of PACT and is partnered with a social worker. The EPS looked at adding a second officer to the unit but only recently hired a second social worker after Blunden said the EPS spent two years looking for someone. The EPS is not looking to add a second officer to PACT at this time.
"If talking to have a PACT person available all the time, we're looking at hiring another three or four individual officers, and then you'd have to have the Sask Health Authority prepared to hire another three or four persons as well for that person," said Blunden.
Medical care following the shooting
As for the recommendation about placing firearms in lock boxes before entering spaces with detainees, Blunden said the force has a policy for the detainee area, but he believes the jury is looking for something broader.
Blunden said the inquest didn't bring out what happened medically with Guillas after the incident at the police station.
"I think the family, as well as the jury, didn't get a true appreciation as to how much medical care was given to him after the shooting," said Blunden.
Within minutes, paramedics were inside the room and providing care for both Guillas and Lonsberry.
Blunden also believes that if more information had been provided on the medical front, the recommendation for a critical-response protocol might not have been offered.
The province's Serious Incident Response Team previously found no grounds to lay criminal charges against Bird in Guillas' death.
