Police refuse to leave weapons in lock box before entering psychiatric hospitals

WRIGHT COUNTY, MN – Annandale police are refusing to go along with a state psychiatric hospital requirement that officers leave their weapons in a lock box before entering the patient care area, the Annandale Advocate reported.

According the the Annandale Advocate, police in all but one Minnesota city where there are similar hospitals have taken the same position.

In April, a patient at the Annandale Community Behavioral Health Hospital attacked an officer, grabbed his handgun, and fired a shot at the floor.

A new lockbox has been placed in the hall where police enter the building, and staff will request the officers lock their weapons. The old box was behind a locked door.

According to the Annandale Advocate, Annandale police have been called to the CBHH for emergencies since the April incident,  and declined when staff asked them to put their weapons in the lockbox.

Instead, police are taking more officers on emergency calls to the hospital. Police analyzed the April incident and concluded they could’ve gotten more information and had more manpower. The main thing was additional manpower.

To read the full article, go to http://www.annandaleadvocate.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&ArticleID=9587&SubSectionID=1