Editor's Note: Some of the details of the story have been taken out from the original story posted on May 6 to help protect the identity of vulnerable individuals
Are the temporary holding cells inside local police stations clean and safe for offenders during the Covid-pandemic? According to Barrie resident Pamela Grover who was arrested for a DUI in March says the confinement cells are “dirtier than a dog kennel” and not Covid-safe at all.
“I was so upset!” exclaims 62-year-old Grover. “More than I was about my charges.”
Grover was arrested with a DUI on March 1 after she intentionally drove her vehicle into a ditch off the 5th Line near Highway 400 in Bradford. It was the day of a ‘white out’ blizzard that had many motorists finding alternate routes after multiple collisions closed parts of the highway.
Grover was arrested and taken to the Nottawasaga Ontario Provincial Police station in Alliston (New Tecumseth) where she was put into a holding cell while waiting to be processed for her charges.
“I’ve been in lockdown for over a year and tried to keep safe and they stick me in this disgusting cell that was so dirty, and police refused to give me any sanitizers… I was worried about being exposed.”
Although Grover was alone in the cell, she says the interior was covered in black grime and dirt with puke on the toilet seat. She says there was nowhere clean to sit down.
“The bars were dripping with white mold,” describes Grover. “I took an old, dirty blanket that was in the cell and wiped down one of the bars… (and it was) black!”
Grover was put into the cell for ‘a few hours’ and claims she was not asked any Covid questions before being detained, nor given a mask.
“All I could think of was Covid the whole time. I was freaking out! They put me under so much stress just for that alone," shares Grover.
At the time, Grover had not received her Covid-19 vaccine yet. She is in close contact with two vulnerable family members whom she was concerned for after her experience at the station.
Grover says she and her family were at risk of exposure to Covid after she was released from the station (with a court date).
“It’s not about me... I had to call someone to get home from the station, so everyone is at risk," states Grover.
Grover sent an official complaint letter to the station but claims she did not receive a reply. Due to fears of being exposed to Covid, Grover put herself into a two-week quarantine after being released from the station.
“Everybody is under protocol… why are we not being protected in the jail cell too?” she questioned.
Village Media reached out to the Nottawasaga OPP Detachment in Alliston where Grover was detained and inquired about the cleanliness of the cells and Covid-safety protocols. Cst. Cindy Jacome, community safety officer and media relations for Nottawasaga OPP responded with the following statement:
“The Nottawasaga OPP Detachment follows strict Covid safety protocols. The detachment has a contract with an outside cleaning agency that attends a minimum of three times a day and more as needed. The cells are sprayed with a hospital grade disinfectant after every use. Any concerns of a cell containing any bodily fluids, it is immediately shut down for the professional contract agency to clean. Masks are also available and provided to any and all people attending the detachment if desired.”
Eric Steele, Operations Management with OPP Nottawasaga who works out of the detachment where Grover was arrested, confirmed the cleaners were in the cell on March 1 and did clean the cell before and after Grover was detained.
“If there’s a prisoner in the cell, the cleaners won’t go inside and clean it of course, but as far as whether cells are dirty or clean, it’s a police station, can you eat off the floors? No, but they are cleaned regularly and disinfected after every single person who enters,” notes Officer Steele.
Officer Steele confirmed Grover was not given a mask upon entering the cell, however Steele did note she was alone in the cell and any police officers who approached her were always wearing a mask. Steele also confirmed the disinfectant spray used to clean the cell is the same spray used to clean ambulances and fire trucks.
“Was she safe? Most definitely,” he said. “I have full confidence she was not exposed to Covid in any way. As far as masks go, given that people in a cell can sometimes be problematic...there’s certain things we can give them and things we can’t. For every one person who behaves, there are 10 others who will get into trouble.”
Steele explained that in some instances, something like a full toilet paper roll has been shoved down toilets, clogging up the plumbing system, or doused in toilet water and thrown around, causing a mess in the cells.
“Depending on the situation, with each prisoner, it’s a sliding rule,” says Steele.
South Simcoe Police says they follow similar Covid-safety protocols in their holding cells at both the north and south divisions.
“The South Simcoe Police Service contracts professional cleaning staff to clean both of our divisions. Our cells are cleaned Monday to Friday on a daily basis and on an ‘as needed basis’ on weekends. This includes a wipe down of all contact surfaces,” confirmed Deputy Chief John Van Dyke. “If we have a biohazard spill of blood, urine or feces, we close the cell until it receives a thorough professional biohazard cleaning. The only time a cell is not cleaned as part of the daily cleaning cycle is if it is occupied at the time. We only lodge one prisoner per cell. The vast majority of our cells have solid walls and solid doors instead of open bars. During the pandemic, we release as many prisoners as possible from custody if it is safe and appropriate to do so in order to minimize their exposure to our staff and help stop the spread of Covid -19.”
