Senior Public Safety Officer

Responsibilities

• Provides security services with professionalism, fairness, and compassion in challenging circumstances, adhering to policies, procedures, and training.
• Inspires confidence in patients, visitors, and team members through a professional, approachable, and service-oriented appearance and demeanor.
• Maintains alertness, observance, and ethical conduct while complying with and enforcing safety and security rules.
• Keeps Department uniform and equipment in good repair.
• Performs routine interior and exterior patrols to ensure safety and security, including inspections for vulnerabilities, hazards, fire conditions, audits of Interim Life Safety Measures, patient valuables management, and contraband searches.
• Assists team members, patients, and visitors by providing information, directions, and physical help.
• Ensures traffic control, monitors visitor conduct, and confronts unauthorized persons for questioning.
• Prevents, responds to, and investigates workplace violence.
• Responds to service calls involving combative or threatening patients/visitors and team member incidents, serving as a primary de-escalation resource.
• Plans, prevents, practices, and responds to emergencies such as lost or abducted infants/children, fire, and active threats.
• Responds immediately to emergency and crisis situations, physically intervening as trained to prevent injury.
• Investigates incidents on Advocate Aurora property and completes timely, accurate reports.
• Addresses and escalates complaints to appropriate leadership with supporting documentation.
• Performs liaison rounding duties to cultivate partnerships with all departments and units.
• Delivers security awareness education to team members to enhance overall site security.
• Liaises with state and local law enforcement and first responder agencies.
• Coordinates, briefs, and monitors law enforcement prisoner patient guards to ensure policy compliance and prevent unsafe practices.
• Serves as a training resource for the Department, including precepting probationary officers, implementing orientation and assessment, compiling feedback, and maintaining training records.
• Prepares lesson plans for officers not meeting training expectations.
• Serves as a field instructor when assigned, maintains instructor-level certifications, and provides training in accordance with standards.
• Assists department leaders in administrative duties, such as reviewing reports for quality and accuracy, inspecting uniforms and equipment, and reporting findings to the chain of command.
• Maintains current Department training standards in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, stabilization, CPR, clinical restraints, conducted energy weapon (Taser), and all department-issued equipment.

Requirements

• Security Officer Healthcare Certification (CHSO) issued by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) must be obtained within two years of appointment (recertification not required).
• For North Carolina teammates: Armed Guard License issued by NC Private Protective Services, maintained through training and competency assessments.
• For Illinois teammates: Completion of State of Illinois 20-hour Basic Security Officer course.
• For Illinois teammates: Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) issued by the Illinois State Police.
• For Wisconsin teammates: Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
• For Illinois teammates: Completion of State of Illinois 40-hour armed course with semi-automatic pistol endorsement.
• For Illinois teammates: Must meet State of IL Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licensing requirements and obtain a Firearm Control Card (FCC) for Proprietary Personnel within 90 days of hire.
• Valid driver’s license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles.
• Certified in Conducted Energy Weapon (e.g., Taser) use within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.
• High School Diploma or GED.
• 4 years of experience in a security or public safety role, including responding to emergent situations and resolving risks, or completion of 30 credit hours in Criminal Justice, Police Science, or a similar field from an accredited college or university plus 3 years of work experience, with 1 year in a security/safety role.

Skills & Abilities

• Willingness to carry a department-authorized firearm while on duty.
• For Illinois team members: Must annually achieve a passing score of 70% or greater on the State of IL Mandatory Annual Active Duty and Retired Officer Handgun Qualification Course of Fire, unassisted. Probationary Officers must complete range qualification within their 90-day probationary period.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise mature judgment and sound reasoning while maintaining a courteous and tactful demeanor, even with verbally aggressive individuals.
• Demonstrated experience in quickly assessing dangerous situations and taking appropriate action.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in using computers for documentation (Microsoft Word, Excel), web navigation, and database entry.
• Ability to pass a background investigation, drug screen, pre-placement physical, and psychological screening assessment post-offer, pre-employment, and periodically thereafter. Teammates employed in a Public Safety Officer position prior to July 28, 2024, have 18 months to comply.
• Ability to defend self and/or others during physical confrontations when de-escalation fails, including restraining non-cooperative individuals committing criminal acts or fleeing.
• Ability to communicate effectively via radio and telephone with clear diction and without impediments.
• Ability to interact appropriately with all team members, patients, and visitors, especially under difficult circumstances.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Must sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday.
• Must lift up to 35 lbs. occasionally and push/pull with 35 lbs. of force.
• Must possess the hand strength, dexterity, and ability to safely operate a firearm, including loading/unloading, breaking down, and cleaning without assistance or devices.
• Must have 20/20 vision in both eyes or correctable to 20/20 with lenses.
• May be exposed to mechanical, electrical, chemical, explosive, and radiation hazards; protective clothing must be worn as necessary.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Frequent exposure to aggressive behavior and emotionally charged situations.
• Must handle personal stress and possible violence.
• Must be physically fit to walk all areas of facilities and grounds, restrain individuals as needed, and assist nursing staff with lifting patients of all sizes.