MORE POLICE SENSITIVITY NEEDED, CORONER'S INQUEST HEARS

City Has Lack Of Resources To Deal With Drugs: Lawyer

Nicole Fontaine had one request when asked Monday, during a coroner's
inquest into her sister's death, what recommendations a jury should
impart police to avoid another tragedy.

"Sensitivity," she said, dabbing tears.

"When you walk in those doors (to police detention cells), yeah,
you're in trouble but you can't judge a book by its cover. Don't
doubt what somebody's saying. If they're asking for help, help them,"
Fontaine added. "Don't wait until the last minute. That last minute
takes them away."

Her sister, Dona Sanderson, an aboriginal woman and mother of a
little girl, died June 26, 2005, in police custody after being
arrested on drug charges and an outstanding warrant.

Last week, the inquest was told how Sanderson was arrested June 19 on
a routine traffic stop when police found 270 grams of marijuana under
her seat. Police didn't know she also had a packet of cocaine, worth
about $5,000, hidden in her vagina.

While she was locked up, waiting for a court appearance the next
morning, the drug leeched into her system through the sandwich bag in
which it was wrapped. Sanderson collapsed and stopped breathing early
in the morning of June 20 -- exactly one year earlier, Fontaine noted
as she strained to hold back more tears.

A six-member jury, comprised of five women and one man, is charged
with finding how, where, when and by what means Sanderson died and
with making recommendations to prevent similar deaths.

A pathologist testified last week the massive dose of cocaine cut off
oxygen to Sanderson's brain and heart. Her family told doctors to
remove life-support six days later.

Police response time to Sanderson's pleas and obvious distress, along
with a lack of resources in the community for addicts, came under fire Monday.

Saskatoon Police Service lawyer Greg Baines agreed Monday that
Saskatoon has an "incredible lack of resources." He was commenting on
Sanderson being six months away from getting a bed in a short-term
treatment centre.

The inquest heard Sanderson first gave police an alias when they
tried arresting her. In police cells, she complained of a sore wrist
and back and was taken to hospital, later confessing to an officer
that it was a ruse to attempt an escape.

When she began complaining of actual health problems, officers didn't
take her seriously. A police video shows her pacing, squatting up and
down and then lying on the floor for nearly 25 minutes. Around 6:30
a.m. on June 20, someone has a conversation with Sanderson, who says,
"My heart, my heart." But 12 minutes later, the person is seen
delivering breakfast to her.

It wasn't until Sanderson was lying on her back, staring at the
ceiling with her body trembling, that a 911 call was placed. Even
then, a female special constable is heard on the 911 tape chuckling
when the operator asks if Sanderson is conscious. "When she wants to
be," the officer says. The tape was played at the inquest last week.

Kim Pate, executive director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth
Fry Societies, which advocates on behalf of females in the justice
system, said Monday the number of incarcerated women in Canada has
doubled in 15 years. More money seems to be spent on hiring officers
and catching people than finding methods of intervention through
community programs and treatment, she said.

"The human social cost of that is huge," she added.

Baines said Sanderson's arrest was necessary as she had warrants and
drugs. Her record also included charges of assault and armed robbery,
which meant police had to treat her as potentially violent and be wary.

He also noted Sanderson had the opportunity to tell nurses or doctors
of her situation during the first visit but did not. As for the
community supports Pate recommends, "those are services the police
have no power to create," Baines said. He then asked Pate if
Sanderson "died because she was on a waiting list because there were
no beds (at a treatment centre)?"

"That's my understanding," Pate said.

The inquest wrapped up Monday afternoon with the jury being given
direction from coroner Alma Wiebe. They began deliberating but had
not reached a decision by the day's end. They will reconvene this morning.