Inquest calls for enhanced police training, communication after Olando Brown's death

Warning: Details in this article may be disturbing to readers.

A coroner's inquest delving into the death of 32-year-old Olando Brown on June 22, 2018, while in Barrie police custody concluded with recommendations aimed at enhancing training and communication between police and emergency response teams.

Investigators said Brown choked on golfball-sized bags of drugs he had pulled from his buttocks while being searched by officers at the Barrie detachment.

It was ruled the airway obstruction caused him to stop breathing and go into cardiac arrest.

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Dr. Paul Miller testified at the inquest that there were gaps in communication between police and paramedics.

The doctor, who performed a report on the case, said the advanced care paramedic wasn't made fully aware of the level of airway obstruction and proceeded with efforts to restart Brown's heart, saying his chance of survival was close to zero.

Joseph Markson, counsel for the Barrie Police Service officers involved, told the jury the inquest into Brown's death provides an opportunity to honour his life and potentially prevent similar tragedies in the future.

"You can safely conclude, and know beyond all doubt, that all of these first responders did everything possible on this day in very challenging circumstances to save the life of Olando Brown," Markson said.

Lawyers for the County of Simcoe told the jury, "We owe it to people who die, and in particular, people who die in police custody, to look at their deaths, to examine the circumstances and to see if there's anything we can do better."