Public Safety Officer I - Armed (PSO)

Advocate Health•Chicago, IL

3d•$23 - $34•Onsite

About The Position

Advocate Health is seeking a professional and dependable armed Public Safety Officer for AMG Imani Village in Chicago, Illinois. The officer provides a safe and secure environment for patients, staff, visitors, and property through a visible, customer-service-oriented security presence. This full-time, second-shift position is scheduled Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 PM to 8:30 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, with Sunday and Monday off. The role requires patrols, incident response and investigation, emergency preparedness, de-escalation, and coordination with clinical teams and law enforcement. Officers must maintain required certifications and training, including Illinois armed-security requirements, and be willing to carry an authorized firearm while on duty. The position requires a high school diploma or GED and typically at least one year of experience in security, public safety, or customer service involving emergent situations and risk identification and resolution. Candidates must demonstrate sound judgment, effective communication, emotional intelligence, physical readiness, and the ability to remain calm in challenging situations. The role may involve exposure to hazards, aggressive behavior, emotionally charged situations, and possible violence. Advocate Health offers a comprehensive Total Rewards program, with eligibility for some programs dependent on employment status or FTE.

Requirements

High school graduate or GED.
Typically at least one year of experience in security, a related public safety area, or customer service that includes responding to emergent situations and identifying and resolving risks to patients, visitors, teammates, or property.
Obtain the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Security Officer Healthcare Certification (CHSO) within two years of appointment; recertification is not required.
For Illinois teammates, hold a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) issued by the Illinois State Police and meet state licensing requirements, including obtaining a Firearm Control Card (FCC) for Proprietary Personnel within 90 days of hire.
Hold a valid driver’s license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicle.
Become certified in conducted energy weapon use, such as TASER, within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.
Illinois team members must have completed the State of Illinois 40-hour armed course with semi-automatic pistol endorsement.
Illinois team members must annually score at least 70% on the State of Illinois Mandatory Annual Active Duty and Retired Officer Handgun Qualification Course of Fire without assistance. Probationary officers must complete range qualification within the 90-day probationary period and attend the first qualification date within that period.
Willingness to carry a department-authorized firearm while on duty.
Successfully pass a background investigation, drug screen, pre-placement physical, and post-offer psychological screening assessment; screenings may also occur periodically thereafter.
Demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and compassion when responding to teammate, visitor, and patient incidents.
Support a respectful, kind, collaborative work environment and commit to patient-centered safety practices.
Work collaboratively with medical staff and external law enforcement as appropriate.
Remain calm under pressure and help maintain a safe, welcoming, and therapeutic environment.
Exercise mature judgment and sound reasoning while remaining courteous and tactful, including when dealing with verbally aggressive individuals.
Quickly assess dangerous situations and take appropriate action.
Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and communicate effectively with people.
Use a computer for documentation, including Microsoft Word, Excel, web navigation, and database entry.
Be able to defend self or others and physically restrain a person when de-escalation fails and there is cause to do so, as described in the posting.
Hear radio and telephone communications at high and low decibels and communicate over radio and telephone with clear diction without impediments.
Possess the ability to safely operate a firearm, including operating, loading, unloading, disassembling, and cleaning it without assistance or assistive devices.
Have 20/20 vision in both eyes or vision correctable to 20/20 with corrective lenses.
Sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday; occasionally lift up to 35 pounds and push or pull with 35 pounds of force.
Be physically fit to walk all facility and grounds areas, restrain individuals when necessary, and assist clinical teammates with lifting patients of all sizes.
Handle personal stress and possible violence and work amid frequent aggressive behavior and emotionally charged situations.
Wear protective clothing as necessary when exposed to mechanical, electrical, chemical, explosive, or radiation hazards.
Operate all equipment necessary to perform the job.
Be flexible with scheduling and willing to accommodate shift or location changes based on operational needs.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of behavioral threat assessment.
Knowledge of use-of-force review.
Awareness of crime prevention through environmental design.
Ability to present material and facilitate meetings.

Responsibilities

Provide security services with professionalism, fairness, compassion, and a customer-service approach in accordance with policies, procedures, and training.
Maintain a professional, approachable, alert, observant, and ethical presence; enforce safety and security rules and keep department uniform and equipment in good repair.
Conduct interior and exterior patrols, identify vulnerabilities and hazards, inspect for fire conditions, audit Interim Life Safety Measures, manage patient valuables, and conduct contraband searches.
Provide information, directions, and physical assistance to patients, visitors, and team members; control traffic, monitor visitor conduct, and question unauthorized persons.
Prevent, respond to, and investigate workplace violence and respond to service calls involving combative or threatening patients, visitors, or team members.
Use de-escalation as a primary response and use force when necessary, including conducted energy weapons and handcuffing.
Plan for, prevent, practice, and respond to emergencies such as lost or abducted infants or children, fires, and active threats.
Respond immediately to emergencies and crises and physically intervene in accordance with training when there is potential for injury.
Investigate incidents on Advocate Health property, complete timely and accurate reports, and address or escalate complaints to the appropriate leader with supporting documentation.
Perform liaison rounds, build partnerships with departments and units, and provide security-awareness education to team members.
Liaise with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responders; coordinate, brief, and monitor law-enforcement prisoner patient guards for policy compliance and safety.
Maintain department training standards in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control, CPR, clinical restraints, conducted energy weapons, and department-issued equipment and training requirements.
Assist with exterior traffic and crowd control, parking enforcement, valet parking, and vehicular assistance.
Use interview and interrogation tactics to gather information about incidents.
Patrol using a community-oriented approach.
Complete required firearm qualifications, maintain required licenses and certifications, and carry a department-authorized firearm while on duty.

Benefits

Paid Time Off programs.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs.
Educational Assistance Program.
Competitive compensation, including potential shift or on-call premium pay for eligible positions.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
Career development programs and well-being programs.