How Hospital Security Officers Differ from School and University Officers
Depending on the facility and the officer’s job description, officers may have gloves, face shields and wear long sleeves to avoid bites from patients. When necessary, patient spit masks are also available. This equipment is collectively referred to as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). PPE is required in this environment due to the infectious nature of many pathogens that are routinely encountered in a hospital as well as the frequency that healthcare security have to physically interact with patients, such as those experiencing a behavioral health crisis requiring restraint
Similar to school security, hospital officers have varying levels of defensive equipment based upon the campus and their responsibilities, and this can vary from less than lethal alternatives such as chemical sprays and electronic control devices up to and including armed hospital police.
