Focus: NYC Hospital Police
New York October 3 2022
Hospital police are specialized police agencies in the United States that provide critical law enforcement services and security to hospitals.
As a result of increased violence in the healthcare field, patients with mental health disturbances, and a wide range of civil upset occurring across the nation, hospital security often proved insufficient.
These violent incidents occasionally resulted in injury to both hospital staff and the security officers, who were often poorly trained, ineffectively led, and unprepared to respond to these turbulent and unanticipated events.
For instance, trauma centers frequently receive patients of assaults, stabbings, and shootings for emergency life-saving treatment, which often brings upset family and friends to the facilities.
Through the effects of trauma, emotional disturbances, mental health crises, and grief over injury to or loss of loved ones, hospitals experience the potential for an escalation of violence daily.
Following these hospital changes, police officers were now required to meet higher training and educational standards by attending the police academy. Further training was given to these police officers to deal with hospital-specific issues, including non-violent crisis management, and de-escalation.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, along with many state and municipal-owned hospitals, have full-service law enforcement agencies, while private non-profit hospitals usually have special police or constables.
Today’s hospital police officers are better equipped to deal with hospital-specific issues and have a detailed understanding of law enforcement within a healthcare environment.
The New York City Health and Hospitals Police (NYHP) is responsible for providing on-site security services at the 18 NYC hospitals and clinics operated by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) and enforcing state and city laws at those facilities.
HHC special officers have provided on-site security service at the New York City-owned hospitals since the 1940s when they were known as the City of New York Department of Hospitals security.
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) was established in 1965 to operate New York City public hospitals. Until 1973, HHC-operated hospitals were patrolled by both hospital security officers and police officers from the New York City Police Department NYPD).
In 1980 special officers were hired and NYPD officers were removed, and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation were added to NYS Criminal Procedure Law 2.10 sub 40, and in 2015, the city of New York department of citywide administrative service application unit added this new position (HHC special officer) to New York’s civil service exam.
The New York City Health and Hospitals Police, under the leadership of Chief Security Officer, Juan Checo, stood on the front lines of the city’s public hospitals and led the quarantine/ isolation effort.
Not only did these officers control the perimeter of each city healthcare facility, but they also responded to and assisted patients in crisis who were suffering from COVID-19.
The New York City Hospital Police stood on the front line to protect the most vulnerable populations in the city and those that provide them care.
How Things Have Changed:
“When the crisis started, we limited the entry points to the hospital as a precaution to help manage the needed screening and direct patients to the appropriate level of care,” explains NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Security Officer, Juan Checo.
“We also needed to limit visitors, and at some point, had to prohibit visitors altogether. We started doing temperature checks for staff, so we needed to funnel entry through one or two locations.
Impact of COVID-19:
“I’ve seen 23 of my 78 officers get COVID-19. That gives me a lot of anxiety. I believe that you have to lead by example, so I can’t hide in an office,” added Checo.
“I have to show myself and be there with them so that they see that I’m taking the same amount of risks that they’re taking. Thank God that 15 officers have already returned to work.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals staff members are doing the best that they can and have really come together to combat this pandemic. We’re all in this together.”
“I can’t say enough about my officers. I’m proud of them for their unwavering commitment to ensure the safety of our patients, staff, and community.”
“We do have our challenges during this time, but at the end of the day, our frontline workforce is committed to saving lives. We are so proud to be part of the staff here at Kings County. I see them doing this on a daily basis.”
Managing Stress:
“I was a cop for 20 years in the NYPD. I saw a lot of things, including 9/11. But, when the attacks happened, we tried to save people, then it became a recovery effort, concluded Checo.
“With COVID-19, it seems endless. I end my day, and I know that tomorrow I’m coming back, and it’s still going to be here. It’s been that way for several weeks now.”
“That’s what gets to me. That’s what stresses me out. My family is a great support group. I couldn’t ask for anything better. My daughter, Lauren, 29, will sit with me and watch a movie to decompress. She’s supposed to get married in August. I don’t know if she will. Fingers crossed.”***
Their diverse team of 45,000 health care professionals, provides culturally responsive care to more than one million patients every year in more than 70 patient care locations across the five boroughs of New York City.
As a safety net health system, NYC Health + Hospitals are committed to making health care accessible and affordable, focused on health and wellness with an emphasis on keeping communities healthy, not just treating injury or illness.
