Washington Hospital security to become certified police officers
The faces will not change, but the uniforms and responsibilities will for the security staff at Washington Hospital after they complete training to become certified police officers in Pennsylvania.
“It will be the same people that are on the security staff now,” said Gary B. Weinstein, president and chief executive officer of Washington Hospital. “They are being trained and will be required to get certification as a police officer. They will have arrest powers and work just on hospital property.”
The training process started, and Weinstein expects it to be completed this fall. There are 12 full-time officers along with the director of security. A part-time officer also will be hired. Weinstein said an officer is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“This is a trend … at other hospitals,” Weinstein said Friday. “With our society today and incidents of violence at places like schools, movie theaters and malls, hospitals are certainly not exempt. Other hospitals are also taking this step.”
Weinstein said the switch to having a police force at the hospital is part of the safety plans.
“The safety of our patients and employees is our highest priority,” Weinstein said. “We take it very seriously. When people are in the emergency room of a hospital, they are often in crisis and may not act the way they may normally.”
The doors to the hospital, with the exception of the emergency room, are locked each night at 9.
“We have also done a lot of training with our staff for things like active shooters,” said the hospital president.
The officers are receiving training at the hospital, but they are taking the state Act 235 training off-site. Weinstein said the training includes qualifying with firearms, criminal and constitution law, and testifying in court. He said in the past, the officers received training in how to safely defuse tense situations.
Washington police Chief Robert Wilson is supportive of the hospital developing its own police department.
“It is long overdue, especially given all what is going on in today’s society,” Wilson said. “There are several hospitals in Pittsburgh that have their own police.”
The chief said the head of security reached out to his department for some assistance, and he said they are happy to help. Weinstein said the hospital security officers have always had a good working relationship with city police.
While the staff will remain the same, they will look a bit different. Weinstein said they will get new uniforms to reflect their new titles as police officers.