Harborview medical Center Security Officers

[japtac]

Hospital security officers have a very diffirent job then the average security officer. There is a lot more that is involved not to mention a whole other way patients have to be dealt with than staff and visitors. "Patient Bill of Rights & HIPPA"

Training is a key factor to the equation. Hospitals look at security as money coming out of there pockets with no real return ($) for them. It's a necessary evil.

[capt777737]

Suspects went to jail too.

[capt777737]

I worked security across the street from HMC, police showed up one night on a knock & talk, they had 4 suspects at their car, and one ran off, so the officers gave chase and told me to keep eye on the other 3. They were getting restless

HMC security came and gave me a hand. SPD arrived with the one guy and more SPD was enroute. I got fast backup from HMC.

Thanks to both HMC and SPD

[mybill2012]

why did you not say hospital hired state troopers on site for 24/7? you made it looks like you are the only ones dealing with all the problems.

[chrisharper1225]

Security officers are not police. As a veteran of both I can tell you without a doubt that these SO don't understand that fact. 95% of your job as an SO in a healthcare facility is customer service. SO are there to assist visitors and patients, enforce hospital policy in a cooperative manner, and protect people from injury, not play cop. And what tools do you need.. your not SWAT.. that isn't your role. SO have to be hands on to be effective and you should have the trainining to be hands on

[Marty32]

@chrisharper1225 Agreed. One thing I've learned (I work security) is that we are just that--security. People (and guards) tend to forget what security is all about. We prevent things from getting worse. We make sure everything is okay--and when shit hits the fan, then yes the police is called (since they are reactive, and we are proactive).

[samten10a]

Ever hear of OSHA call them it is either state or fed. First document the assaults that happen to staff that you had to deal with and the training and the lack of training and equipment you think you need to stay healthy. Video tape some of it for proof.

[mybill2012]

i think the hosptial is doing the right thing now, they outsourced the new NJB building, and now the 401 building. i think they are planning eventually to outsource all the secuirty works to local security company and keep some state troopers on site.  i think this is a great idea, It will save a lot of hospital money and good for those public old-school guys to find comfortable jobs somewehere else.

[hnbbs]

@mybill2012 You are wrong about contract security. They will not be better. They may cost less but they will not do a better job. Plus I hate to tell you this but off duty police officers are not good for hospital security. I worked at one hospital that had in house security and right next to that hospital was a hospital of the same size that used off duty police officers. The in house security officer did a much better job. The other hospital with police had no security. Just a fact.

[YoureAbsolutelyRight]

Sounds like you're winging, rather than just doing your job.

[hawkman2111]

This is very tough job, have to deal with fucking drunks and drug addicts ,dumb homeless people the list goes on and on ,you usually make good money in hospital security compared to just a regular guard but it isnt easy you risk your life. Have you ever see a guy with his brains blown out and dropped off in front of ER you will if you do hospital security. You also have to take dead bodies to the morgue all by yourself .

[melbournaut]

Why would you apply for a job you cant do and then complain about lack of training. If you keep getting injured then i suggest you try another hospital. There are plenty of hospitals where the worst thing you will see is an old lady who thinks she needs to pick the kids up from school in the middle of the night.

[OjoMalo01]

@melbournaut u have no idea.. it is a hospital man,,

[melbournaut]

@OjoMalo01 I have every idea asshole. I have seen nurses assaulted, guards hit and patients injured due to poor operators. The patients and staff deserve guards who can perform they're function to a high level.

I think the problem is that often people underestimate the bullshit associated with drug and psych issues thinking its gonna be like an episode of scrubs. The issue is most likely the hiring not the training..

[le238man]

Who the hell in their right mind choses to be a security guard in the first place! You put yourselves in this situation. You want to be cops or dont want to work at a decent career! One that you actually have advancement opportunity's. If you want to play cop then quit whining!

[Gethro57]

I have been working as a police officer for five years now and nothing has compared to getting called to a code white with a violent 300 lb schizophrenic patient that has been of his meds for a week with only my hand cuffs, gloves, and night stick, and you cant call the police because its YOUR job to deal with this, not theirs. You need to educate yourself more before you bash other professions.... what do you do for a living might I ask?

[Gethro57]

@le238man This was the case with where I worked; we trained with the police in use of force, subject restraint and sharp edged weapons defence. If there is a psychiatric department at a hospital then the need for tactical training is even higher. Also, most people dont WANT to be security they do it to gain experience to become a police officer, or a corrections worker or whatever .

[le238man]

@Gethro57 Fact is putting down that you were a security Guard on a Police Application is a scarlet letter! The longer you were a guard the worse it is. Stepping stone my ass. All security is is lower insurance rates for the asshole clients. Get a decent profession!

[Gethro57]

@le238man You are grossly misinformed my friend, hospital security is completely different than a security guard at a mall , or a fair or even a bouncer. I am a police officer in Ontario Canada, but as a stepping stone when I got out of college I worked as a hospital security guard. Let me tell you a hospital needs to have their security staff trained as well as the local police force.

[RayAir1]

@le238man

Shut up stupid. What do you do, Jerk?

[le238man]

@OjoMalo01 Thats great your so qualified! Ive heard it 1000 times. The cold facts are your there to keep insurance rates down. The Hospital/Employer doesn't care about you! Its about $. They will never do anything for you! Except find a way to get rid of you if you make to much noise. They know they can always get another sucker for less $

[le238man]

@OjoMalo01 And why expose yourself to getting beat up,killed or possibly getting HIV. They will forget about you in a minute. Do yourself a favor and get out of that lame profession. The people you think like you, are in that lunch room laughing at you. If they could get someone 1 penny cheaper they would! I'm not a troll my friend. Its the facts! Trust me in time you'll find out.

[RayAir1]

Hospital security needs to be made special police officers. They don't all have to carry guns though. I think maybe a couple of officers should carry guns (supervisors). The rest of the officers should have at a minimum: OC spray, handcuffs, soft body armor. They should also be well trained in defensive tactics.Hospital officers also need to stay fit- lift weights and job to stay in shape.

Hospital security is unique.

Be safe.

[RayAir1]

Hospital security needs to be made special police officers. They don't all have to carry guns though. I think maybe a couple of officers should carry guns (supervisors). The rest of the officers should have at a minimum: OC spray, handcuffs, soft body armor. They should also be well trained in defensive tactics.Hospital officers also need to stay fit- life weights and job to stay in shape.

Hospital security is unique.

Be safe.

[dineroRM]

Sounds like UW!

[dirty30jr]

Harborview ER

worst job I ever had

exists for under-educated residents to torture homeless people

Run by a legendary old doc who is WAAAAAAAAAAAY past his prime

[STEVE09OPS]

try workventdotcom - web site

[frankconjr]

All these hosptials are greedy moneywise (want thier cake and eat it too). whatever job they dont want to do they dump it on Security.

[nillabliss]

It's not just about tools. I work at HMC and I have feared for my life there. We have metal detectors for access into the hospital but they are only operating at night. Why?? I work day shift, I've seen guns carried by 'visitors' during the day. There is no adequate security to protect us from this. Anyone can just walk into a unit and well.... Something needs to change now but I believe nothing will be done until a staff member is murdered. Healthcare workers often experience violence

[airjor1]

I work security at a major urban hospital in Sacramento, California. Our security officers are not trained also, but we do have the police officers if we need assistance. Our hospital is basically open in the daytime, and we lock all outside entrace doors except for the emergency, lobby, and west entrance at nine o'clock at night. But someone can still gain entrance into the facility, because a few of the entrance doors are proped open, or unlocked. Not a very security safe hospital.

[captvucsa]

Everyone viewing this should go out and rent the 1974 John Wayne movie "McQ." While the movie is fictional (Seattle police officers hiding stolen heroin in the hospital basement) it just goes to show Harborview has always been and will always been a pretty bad place.

[airjor1]

I work as a Security Officer in a major hospital in Sacramento, California. We received protective vest several years ago. I feel that if you have to work outside the facility at night, you should receive pepper spray. But it's important to train the officers in customer service, crowd control, and handling emergencies. Our facility, and probably others, do not adequately train their officers. This is a big mistake, because crime has increase tremendously, especially in the inner cities.

[budleejames]

Well let me start by saying that I think these Officers should have the tools to do the job and that they should not stop fighting for it. I'm a Police Officer for one of the hospitals in my city. We average over 100 arrest per year and believe it or not we won every case this year so far. Incidents range from domestics, drug possession,B&E's,A&B on Police Officers and things like that. We sometimes are more busy then the city police.

[airjor1]

The hospital management is probably preventing the officers from receiving training and carry defensive protective gear. It's all about money.

[pootang47]

same with my hospital in Australia, it all comes down to management and money! and thas it, peace

[soloflight1]

These guys are asking for NONLEATHAL tools. Tehy have bare hands, and a collapsable METAL baton which the US Army considers deadlhy force. These guys are asked by nurses to bodily remove people-a violation of state law and UW/HMC written policy. They have asked to get tazers of pepper gel. I speak as recording seceratry of thier union local

[bggrgg13]

That is a bunch of bull- HMC Public Safety at HMC have been doing this job for decades but when they hired these new Safety personell they hired wimps who secretly want to be Seattle Police so they can legally abuse patients and staff but Harborview is a hospital and to give these weaker safety officers lethal weapons will be a miistake, a huge mistake!!

[2abandon]

who are you some kind of expert. I have been in the business for nearly 20 years. Law enforcement and security. Why is asking for defense weapons considered to be whimpy. these guys could be protecting your loved one in the hospital. What if some guy strung out on drugs got loose and started on a rampage. I bet you would appreciate that security officer. Think before you speak.

[bggrgg13]

Listen, unless you been to HMC you don't understand what i'm talking about, ya see i've actually been to HMC and i remember the former officers alot of them have been promoted and no longer work in the wards or the ER and they are also disappointed in the lack of people skills these new officers fall short in.If they carry weapons then staff becomes the victims of random violence because in Seattle if Public Safety Officers carry weapons then visitors will start carrying them too believe that.