Police Launch Urgent Criminal Probe into Brutal Security Assault on Patient
Photo Credit : 7 News
Western Australia Police have launched an urgent criminal investigation into a brutal assault by security guards on a patient at a regional Western Australian hospital (the Kalgoorlie Hospital Security Incident). The shocking incident, which occurred at the Kalgoorlie Health Campus on May 31, came to light after Seven News released CCTV footage recently, leaving the country stunned. A security guard was seen grabbing the throat of a patient who was walking calmly with his hands raised, before violently throwing him onto a couch.
Code Black Emergency and Security Failure
According to hospital authorities, a ‘Code Black’ was declared at the hospital on the day of the incident following a threat to the safety of staff and other patients. This prompted the arrival of the security officers. However, the CCTV footage shows the patient approaching the security guards with both hands raised in a manner of surrender, displaying no signs of aggressive behaviour whatsoever.
At this moment, completely unprovoked, the first security guard grabbed the patient by the throat and threw him onto the couch, while the second guard assisted in pinning him down. There are strong allegations that this assault, reminiscent of a prison environment, constitutes a severe violation of human rights.
Multi-Million Dollar Contract and Subsequent Actions
As the incident sparked controversy, the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) took a strong stance. Authorities have made it clear that these two security guards will never again be permitted to work in any public hospital in Western Australia. The security responsibilities for this hospital are held by Advanced Protection Plus, a private security company based in Perth. This firm holds government contracts worth more than $60 million across various schools and prisons in the state.
This is not the first time that such acts of violence by private security agencies against patients seeking treatment in Australia’s public hospitals have been a topic of discussion. Previous court rulings have made it clear that without specific authorisation under the Mental Health Act, security guards have no legal right to use physical force against voluntary patients who seek treatment of their own accord.
