University Hospital officials are taking extra security precautions when treating inmates after a prisoner shot and killed a corrections officer on the U campus Monday.
Curtis Michael Allgier, an inmate at the Utah State Prison, was undergoing an MRI for lower back pain when he wrested a gun from his guard, Stephen Anderson, and shot him in the head, police said.
Following Monday’s incident, the hospital temporarily suspended inmate care. It will begin to see patients again Thursday morning, but with new security procedures in place.
Two officers will now escort inmates receiving treatment — but the new policy is only a temporary fix agreed to by the Utah Department of Corrections and officials at the U Hospital.
Allgier, who had received prior treatment at the hospital, is just one of thousands of inmates who are treated at the hospital each year.
About 2,400 patients from state prisons or correctional facilities were treated on campus in 2006. The U has a contract with the Utah State Prison to provide treatment for inmates.
However, the hospital does not assist with security for inmate visits. Corrections officers are solely responsible for security needs when prisoners use hospital facilities.
The hospital has its own security policies. Inmates being treated at the U are required to enter and exit through the back doors and must be treated in rooms separate from other patients.
The hospital declared a “code yellow” Monday after the shooting took place, which indicates to employees that an internal or external disaster has occurred, said Christopher Nelson, hospital assistant director.
If a security incident occurs, hospital officials set up a command center and lock down the premises.
Nelson said the hospital is forced to lockdown facilities “a couple times a month” for security threats.
However, “by the time the hospital command center was set up (Monday) and the police arrived, it was pretty clear (Allgier) was no longer in the building,” Nelson said.
Officials from the U will continue to meet with the Utah Department of Corrections over the next few weeks to “work out a solid plan to increase security at the hospital,” Nelson said.
The discussions will include a more thorough review of policies and solutions to increase communication between officers and caregivers.