Courtney wants review of state hospital

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Senate President Peter Courtney has called for an independent review of security measures at the state mental hospital after two recent escapes.

“Considering that two patients have escaped from the hospital in the last two weeks, I’m not sure the hospital staff is the group best equipped to conduct a review of their own security,” the Salem Democrat said in a statement Tuesday.

The first escape took place July 11 and the next happened five days later. The patients, both of whom had been sent to the Oregon State Hospital after attacking police officers, were later captured.

One of the men made his escape during a supervised walk on hospital grounds. In response, hospital Superintendent Roy Orr has suspended trips outside the secure perimeter for all 470 patients who have been found guilty of committing a crime while insane.

Exceptions will be made for certain appointments, like a trip to the doctor. In those instances, patients will be escorted off-grounds by at least two members of the hospital staff.

Orr also decided it would be a good time to begin a security review. Fourteen patients have escaped in less than three years, but all were captured.

“We’re not going to take months and months for this review,” Orr said. “We know we need to do it quickly.”

Orr said he welcome’s Courtney’s idea of a concurrent outside review of security policies. Courtney said he trusts hospital officials, but the outside review would be “a way of making sure that we have strong credibility.”

The state is preparing to replace the 125-year-old Salem hospital with a new $250 million complex that is expected to be completed before the end of 2011.