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Town officials seek legislation to force state hospital to tighten security

Healthcare Security Weekly, November 13, 2006

Selectmen in Tewksbury, MA voted November 2 to seek legislation to force Tewksbury Hospital to implement new security measures, reported the Lowell Sun newspaper.

The action stemmed from town officials' frustration over the lack of progress on safety issues involving patients from the state hospital's psychiatric wing, the newspaper reported. It is the second time in about a decade that town officials have chosen to seek legislation to settle their differences with mental health officials.


Tewksbury police have had problems with the hospital's psychiatric patients over the last year, including a man who was released on a day pass despite a long criminal history, the newspaper reported. The man, who is a suspect in several local burglaries, fled when approached by police officers and caused a three-car crash before running toward the hospital.

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