Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson says he is working with provincial justice officials to create a secure detox facility that would be an alternative to regular jail for people whose criminal activities are due to mental health or addictions problems. (CBC)

Prisons should be for hard-core criminals, not mentally ill people or drug addicts who commit crime to feed their habits, Calgary's police chief says.

Chief Rick Hanson is working with the province to build a system that will accommodate people with mental health issues and drug addictions, he said.

A pilot project for a so-called "safe jail" — with secure treatment facilities — could be ready to launch in about 18 months, according to Hanson.

"In order to diagnose mental illness, you've got to detox," he said.

Hanson estimated that 30 to 50 per cent of people in prisons have mental illness or drug addictions, or both.

"When you're not successful in detoxing, it's so powerful. They need the drug and too often they're committing a lot of crimes in order to fund their habit," he said.

Pilot project

Last year police in Calgary started teaming up with Alberta Health Services to provide treatment instead of jail for people with mental health and addiction issues.

Under a three-year, $2.4-million test project, several pairings of Calgary police and mental health workers patrol the streets together, helping people in crisis who may have come into contact with police because of petty crimes.

Hanson is also pushing for a special court system specializing in mental health cases.

"We've got all the parts in place here, we just need that court piece, and that's what's being studied right now. And Justice Minister Redford's taken a huge lead role in that," he said.

A permanent "safe jail" could be years away because of the province's tight financial situation, Hanson said.