Hospital Security Officer – HMC
UW CODE AND REPRESENTATIVE GROUP
18770 (NE S WFSE HMC Security)
22800 (NE H NI WFSE HMC Security)
CLASS SERIES CONCEPT
Promote and maintain hospital security and safety by enforcing rules and regulations to provide for the safety of patients, staff, visitors, and the facilities at Harborview Medical Center and its associated offsite clinics.
BASIC FUNCTION
At Harborview Medical Center and its associated offsite clinics, perform general duty security work to protect life and property, enforce laws and ordinances, maintain order, and prevent and investigate crime.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Under general direction, provide security by enforcing campus regulations and local, state, and federal laws at Harborview Medical Center and its associated offsite facilities. Physically restrain out-of-control individuals and patients during involuntary admissions and transfers.
This class is distinguished from the Campus Security Officer by a work location of Harborview Medical Center, which results in high frequency contact with inmates, psychiatric and suicidal/homicidal patients, out-of-control individuals, and other mentally and medically vulnerable populations.
TYPICAL WORK
Patrol and inspect assigned areas of HMC and offsite facilities on foot or by vehicle to ensure a safe and secure environment;
Regulate and control access to assigned areas; conduct and maintain a walk-through and baggage scanner to check for weapons and other prohibited items; document and store firearms from patients and/or visitors for safekeeping;
Serve as a liaison and public relations representative with patients, visitors, and staff for matters related to security and public safety; coordinate with medical professionals, police officers, firefighters, and senior management;
Investigate accidents, theft reports, threats and other crimes; issue citations for violations; gather evidence; locate witnesses; appear in court as required; perform incident investigation and dispatch duties; maintain routine records; collect and maintain chain of custody of evidence when necessary;
Respond to calls and emergency codes to assist medical personnel; perform close protection escorts of staff;
Perform verbal and/or physical de-escalation of out of control patients, family members, and or visitors; physically evict out-of-control people;
Perform application of medical restraints to suicidal/homicidal patients and violent/out-of-control patients, and security restraints to forensic patients from King County Jail, Washington State Department of Corrections, Federal Prisons and law enforcement for security and safety reasons; apply handcuffs or other temporary detainment of out-of-control individuals involved in criminal activities for law enforcement transfer;
Perform various duties in connection with HMC Psychiatric unit, including escort of patients to Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) court, and deployment of turtle shield entry in locked Psychiatric units for barricaded patients;
Perform oversight of visiting law enforcement and correctional agencies and their guarded forensic patients as required by HMC Care of Forensics Patients policy; maintain security of inmates holding room at HMC; respond to and support law enforcement and/or Correctional agencies in inmate attempted escape incidents at HMC;
Operate department communication equipment; answer telephone inquiries; receive reports of criminal activity; dispatch foot and mobile units; operate paging system; monitor alarm systems including Gamma Knife radiation source tamper alarm; prepare and distribute reports;
Conduct searches and removal of contraband from patient rooms as requested by medical/clinical staff;
Maintain security of HMC morgue and perform authorized diseased body release to funeral homes, medical examiner, etc.;
Assist city or county police and state patrol in cases of emergency; work with law enforcement for warrant executions; and
Perform related duties as required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
High School graduation or equivalent; possession of a valid driver’s license; no previous felony convictions; AND two years of full-time college in police science or allied field;
OR
two years of police or campus security experience.
CLASSIFICATION HISTORY
01/03/1973: New Class
04/20/1978: Revise MQ
05/01/2000: New to CSA
06/01/2005: CSR Class Conversion (mc)
01/01/2019: Revise Class establishing separate class for HMC