Hospital security directors and police chiefs usually have their hands full with just one job. But for David Dougherty, his position as Director of Security and Parking Services at Aultman Hospital is just the beginning of his service to the community of Canton, Ohio.
Besides his nine-to-five hospital gig, he also happens to be the city’s Ward 6 councilman. By day, Dougherty is overseeing Aultman’s security upgrades, training and parking. By night, he’s the Canton city council’s majority leader making important decisions regarding municipal capital equipment purchases and redevelopment, as well as co-sponsoring legislation on important issues like community policing.
Dougherty’s commitment to his community, both as a security director and city councilman, as well as smart management of his security department were what convinced the judges to name him the 2009 Campus Safety Director of the Year, Healthcare award winner.
Bike Program Serves County
Bicycles have played a big part in Dougherty’s hospital and political careers. As a councilman, he’s supported and co-sponsored legislation for bike patrols. As a security director, he and Aultman’s CEO initiated his hospital’s Safety First Program, which teaches local first graders about bicycle safety.
A few years back, the program started small. In just six schools, an officer from the Aultman Security Department would teach a class and fit every student with a helmet supplied by the hospital.
Since then, the program has proved to be so successful that it has expanded to include all of the schools in Canton and the county. Now, the program is in its sixth season, and more than 6,000 helmets are given to students each year. In addition, classes are taught by hundreds of hospital employees.
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Parking Upgrades Allay Fears
Community service and safety, however, aren’t just off-campus concerns. At Aultman Hospital, the parking deck was previously susceptible to criminal activity because it was an old structure and didn’t have good lighting.
“It’s not that we were having lots of incidents over there,” says Dougherty, “but those few things led to a negative perception by employees that it wasn’t safe. They didn’t want to park there.”
To see our photo gallery of Dougherty, his staff and Aultman Hospital, click here.
