Lawyers for all parties at an inquest examining the deaths of two Indigenous men in Thunder Bay police custody say better training for officers and paramedics, and a sobering centre in Thunder Bay, could help prevent similar deaths in the future.
The recommendations were presented before closing submissions at the joint coroner’s inquest into the 2014 death of Don Mamakwa and the 2017 death of Roland McKay.
Both were arrested on suspicion of public intoxication, and both men died of medical conditions while in custody.
The inquest has heard that they had chances of survival if they had been taken to hospital.
The draft recommendations presented by the coroner’s counsel were agreed upon by all parties, including those representing the police and the family of the two men.
Also on the list of agreed-upon recommendations was a call for more cultural sensitivity education for first responders and for the police service board to hire a deputy chief of Indigenous relations and to regularly review its policies.
The jury at the inquest is reviewing the recommendations, but does not have to accept them.