http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Ottawa+paramedics+upset+over+hidden+camera+ambulance/2061005/story.html
Ottawa paramedics upset over hidden camera in ambulance By Neco Cockburn, Ottawa CitizenOctober 2, 2009 OTTAWA — The Ottawa Paramedic Service used a camera hidden in an ambulance cab to spy on an employee during an internal investigation, something that has raised concerns with the union representing paramedics. Use of such a camera, discovered by an employee last week, raises privacy concerns, the union charged Friday. However, chief paramedic Anthony Di Monte said corporate security installed one camera in one vehicle during an “internal administrative-type” investigation that ended in “corrective action” against an employee about a month ago. The camera did not record audio and was aimed at a “technical part of the vehicle” during the investigation, Di Monte said. The camera had been inactive “for some time,” according to Di Monte, but had not been removed when employees discovered it. It has since been taken out of the vehicle, he said. Di Monte said it was the first time the paramedic service had used a hidden camera, but would not rule out doing it again. The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 503 stated in a news release Friday that there was no consultation before the camera was installed, and paramedics were not aware “that their workplaces were going to be put under covert surveillance.” The union stated that it believed cameras were installed in “one or more” ambulances. “They certainly weren’t known to the employees, nor were they in plain sight,” said John McLuckie, legal counsel to the union local. McLuckie and paramedics interviewed by the Ottawa Citizen said family members of patients could be transported in the cab areas. “If you were involved in an accident, the last thing that you want is to have your picture taken and no knowledge of that being done,” McLuckie said. Di Monte said the camera was trained at “a very specific technical element of the vehicle,” and “a family member up front would not have been in the scope of the video.” The union stated that the camera was installed to deal with “workplace issues” the paramedic service and union were working to resolve. He added that the case did not involve the public or quality of care. Nor was it related to a case in June, in which a paramedic was charged with sexual assault after a woman complained she was inappropriately touched during treatment, Di Monte said. Di Monte could not specify how long the camera was in the ambulance, other than to say “not long.” The camera was located behind the driver’s seat, they said. The union expects to meet with the paramedic service early next week to discuss the issue. Ottawa Citizen [email protected] © Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
