Winkler Police have ended a ten year service agreement with Eden Health Care Services.

Eden Interim CEO Ryan Hildebrand says they've enjoyed a great partnership with the Winkler Police Service.

"They've certainly met a need in the mental health centre," he says. "We've had nothing but a positive working relationship, certainly we're sad to see this form of the relationship end."

However, he notes they will continue to work with the police service in the future, though in different capacity.

"It changes things a bit for us," Hildebrand says, adding they will see the biggest impact on their in-patient unit.

They've since had to turn potential patients away due to security concerns.

In the past Winkler Police would provide assistance to staff with uncooperative patients kept for involuntary treatment.

However, Winkler Police Chief Rick Hiebert says there's been concern since the beginning in terms of liability.

While police have authority to use force when making an arrest, Hiebert says it becomes a grey area if no arrest is being made.

The Canadian Criminal Code 495 outlines the grounds for arrest, while Criminal Code 25 stipulates the use of force in an arrest, "but everything hinges around law enforcement," Hiebert explains.

"When we go into an institution to simply assist with an uncoooperative patient we're not arresting anyone," he says. "What protects officers if something happens to a patient?"

If a patient were to be injured, "what authority did we have to do that?" Hiebert asks.

Yet, he says they sympathize with staff's need to convince patients to cooperate, "so they'd call us for assistance... we did provide that service for ten years, but there was concern all along."

With the creation of the Independent Investigation Act under the new Provincial Police Act, Hiebert says knowing police officers will be investigated under any situation only increased their liability concerns.

Hildebrand says Eden is continuing to look at solutions and more training for staff as well as possible partnerships within Southern Health for a security solution.

A letter to Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen has also been sent on the issue.

"We need to keep our patients and our staff safe, that's our utmost priority," Hildebrand says.