Hospital police
Hospital police are specialized police agencies in the United States that provide law enforcement services and security to hospitals.
As a result of the increase violence in the healthcare field, mental health patients, and a wide range of civil disturbances found across the nation, hospital security often proved insufficient. This occasionally resulted in injury to both the hospital staff and the security officers. These hospital security officers were often poorly trained, ineffectively led, and unprepared to respond to these turbulent and unanticipated events. Trauma centers treat patients of assaults, stabbings, and shootings which brings upset family and friends. Hospitals have the potential for violence on a daily basis.
Creation of hospital police departments began in the 1970s across the United States. Statutory laws were passed and necessary regulations were enacted to provide these security officers with the necessary statutory authority to perform their expanded roles as police officers. Hospital police officers were required to meet higher training and educational standards by attending the police academy. Further training was given to these police officers to deal with hospital-specific issues, including non-violent crisis management.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, along with many state and municipal owned hospitals, have full service law enforcement agencies, while private non-profit hospitals usually have special police or constables. Today's hospital police officers are better equipped to deal with hospital specific issues, and have detailed understanding of law enforcement within a healthcare environment.
Agencies
- Adena Regional Medical Center Police. Chillicothe, OH.
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Police. Boone, NC.
- Ashe Memorial Hospital Police. Jefferson, NC.
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Police. Boston, MA.
- Boston Medical Center Department of Public Safety (additionally affiliated with Boston University Police Department), Boston, MA.
- Carilion Clinic Police & Security. Roanoke & Radford, VA provides sworn law enforcement and security for all the Carilion facilities in the areas.
- Cook County Health & Hospital Governing Commission Police Department. Chicago,ILL provided law enforcement for the old county hospital. Deputized by the Cook County Sheriff Department.
- Cook County Hospital Police Department. Chicago, ILL provides law enforcement for the ILL Medical District and surrounding county buildings. Certified sworn academy trained police officers.
- Detroit Medical Center Police Authority, Metropolitan Detroit area, MI.
- Duke University Medical Center. Durham, NC. Provided by Duke University Police & Security.
- Erie County Medical Center, (Erie County, New York) (ECMC) Hospital Police Department
- Henry Ford Health System Police Authority Detroit MI.
- Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital Police. Muncie, IN.
- Indiana University Health North Hospital Police. Carmel, IN.
- Indiana University Health LaPorte Hospital Police. LePorte, IN.
- John Stroger Hospital of Cook County Police Department. Chicago, IL]] provides law enforcement for the ILL Medical Dist. and county buildings. Certified sworn academy trained police officers.
- Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Police, various state facilities, MA.
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Police and Security Department, Boston, MA.
- Massachusetts General Hospital Police and Security Department, Boston, MA.
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center Police Washington D.C.
- Memorial Hospital of South Bend Police Department South Bend, IN.
- New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of State Police provides law enforcement for the New Hampshire Hospital and surrounding state agencies on the hospital campus. Certified, sworn trained officers with specialized training in mental health.
- New York City Department of Health and Hospitals Police provide law enforcement in New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation operated hospitals.
- New York State Office of Mental Health Police provide law enforcement for NYS Mental Health hospitals.
- North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services. Provides law enforcement for five mental health and treatment facilities.
- Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, Dearborn, MI.
- Parkview Health Police. Fort Wayne, IN area. Provides law enforcement for system in various locations within IN.
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Department of Public Safety
- St. Anne's Hospital Police, Fall River, MA.
- St. John Hospital and Medical Center Security Police Department, Detroit MI.
- St. Vincent Hospital Department of Public Safety, Worcester, MA.
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police provide law enforcement in Veterans Affairs hospitals.
- UMass Memorial Campus Police, Worcester, MA.
- University of Missouri Health System Security provide emergency law enforcement services for the University of Missouri Health System in Columbia, Missouri.
- University of North Carolina Hospitals Police. Chapel Hill, NC area. Provides sworn law enforcement to all UNC Hospital campuses.
- Vident Medical Center Police. Greenville, NC.
- Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Richmond, VA. Provided by VCU Police and Security.
- Wake Forest Baptist Health. Winston-Salem, NC. Provided by Wake Forest University Police.
- WakeMed Campus Police & Public Safety Department. Raleigh area, NC. Provides sworn law enforcement to all WakeMed campuses.