Security was hired for local healthcare facilities after the city of Manitoba billed the Southern Health regional health authority for the cost of devoting police officers to watch a mental health patient for six straight days, according to an article on the CBC website.
In February two Winkler Police Service officers had to stay with the patient, who had been brought to the Boundary Trails Health Centre for an involuntary medical assessment.
The health center did not have the capacity to assess the patient.
The city sent a $19,000 bill for the officer's time to the health authority.