Aarhus forensic psychiatry adopts body scanners

Following a murder at the Forensic Psychiatric Department of Aarhus University Hospital in late March, hand scanners will now be implemented in all ward sections. The 46-year-old patient confessed to killing another patient on March 26. After an unsupervised outing during which he purchased a chef’s knife, he returned and committed the crime. Hospital director, Tina Ebler, noted that a legal gap prevented body searches without suspicion, such as narcotics or weapon possession. However, in forensic psychiatry, body scanners can be used without grounded suspicion to visually detect items through clothing, though they cannot detect plastic weapons. After evaluating security procedures, Ebler acknowledged it’s easy to be wise after the event, noting that known patients are under control but the incident revealed unforeseen risks. The ward where the crime took place houses patients over 15 years old from Greenland.