Public Safety (Security) Officer I - Armed

Advocate Health•Chicago, IL

5d•$23 - $34•Onsite

About The Position

The Public Safety Officer I - Armed provides security services at Trinity Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, using a professional, fair, compassionate, and customer-service-oriented approach. This is a part-time registry (PRN) role with no guaranteed hours. The officer is scheduled on call as needed to fill departmental staffing gaps, including call-offs, PTO, leaves, training, special events, and other operational needs. Work hours and shifts vary, including weekends and holidays, to support continuous public safety operations. The officer conducts interior and exterior patrols, identifies security and safety concerns, assists patients, visitors, and teammates, and responds to emergencies and service calls. Duties include preventing and investigating workplace violence, de-escalating incidents, intervening physically when necessary and consistent with training, responding to threats and crises, investigating incidents, and completing timely reports. The role also involves emergency preparedness, liaison rounding and security education, coordination with law enforcement and first responders, prisoner-patient guard oversight, traffic and crowd control, and community-oriented patrols. The position requires maintaining relevant department training and qualifications, including radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control, CPR, clinical restraints, and conducted energy weapon use. Illinois teammates must meet state firearm and licensing requirements, including maintaining the required qualifications. The role includes frequent exposure to aggressive behavior and emotionally charged situations and may involve physical intervention, lifting, and exposure to various hazards.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Typically one year of experience in security, a related public safety area, or customer service, including responding to emergencies 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: possess a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) issued by the Illinois State Police; meet Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licensing requirements; and obtain a Firearm Control Card (FCC) for Proprietary Personnel within 90 days of hire.
For Illinois teammates: complete the State of Illinois 40-hour armed course with semi-automatic pistol endorsement and annually achieve at least 70% on the State of Illinois 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 and attend the first qualification date during that period.
For North Carolina teammates: maintain an Armed Guard License issued by NC Private Protective Services through training and competency assessments.
For Wisconsin teammates: possess a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice.
Hold a valid driver’s license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicle.
Become certified in conducted energy weapon (e.g., TASER) use within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.
Be willing to carry a department-authorized firearm while on duty.
Demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and compassion when responding to teammate, visitor, and patient incidents; support a respectful, kind, collaborative work environment and patient-centered safety practices.
Work collaboratively with medical staff and external law enforcement as appropriate, remain calm under pressure, and create solutions through positive working relationships.
Successfully pass a background investigation, drug screen, pre-placement physical, and post-offer psychological screening assessment, with applicable pre-employment and periodic assessments thereafter.
Demonstrate mature judgment and sound reasoning while remaining courteous and tactful when dealing with teammates, visitors, and patients, including verbally aggressive individuals.
Demonstrate the ability to quickly assess dangerous situations and take appropriate action.
Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills and the ability to use a computer for work documentation, including Microsoft Word, Excel, web navigation, and database entry.
Be able to defend oneself or others when de-escalation fails and physical restraint is justified under the described circumstances.
Communicate effectively with people, hear radio and telephone communications at high and low decibel levels, and use radio and telephone communications with clear diction and without impediments.
Be able to sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday; occasionally lift up to 35 pounds; and push or pull with 35 pounds of force.
Possess the hand strength and dexterity to safely operate, load, unload, break down, and clean a firearm without assistance or assistive devices.
Have 20/20 vision in both eyes, or vision correctable to 20/20 with corrective lenses in both eyes.
Be physically fit to walk all areas of facilities and grounds, restrain individuals when needed, and assist clinical teammates with lifting patients of all sizes.
Be able to 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, and operate all equipment necessary to perform the job.

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 an alert, ethical, approachable, and service-oriented presence; enforce safety and security rules and keep department uniform and equipment in good repair.
Conduct interior and exterior patrols and inspections to identify vulnerabilities, hazards, fire conditions, and other safety concerns; audit Interim Life Safety Measures, manage patient valuables, and conduct contraband searches.
Assist teammates, patients, and visitors with information, directions, and physical help; 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 teammates.
Use de-escalation as a primary response and apply force when necessary and consistent with training, including use of a conducted energy weapon and handcuffing.
Plan for, prevent, practice, and respond to emergencies, including lost or abducted infants or children, fires, and active threats.
Respond immediately to emergency and crisis situations and physically intervene, consistent 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.
Conduct liaison rounds, build partnerships with departments and units, and provide security-awareness education to teammates.
Liaise with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responder agencies; coordinate, brief, and monitor law-enforcement prisoner-patient guards for policy compliance and safety.
Maintain current department training standards in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control, CPR, clinical restraints, conducted energy weapon use, and department-issued equipment and training requirements.
Assist with exterior traffic and crowd control, parking enforcement, valet parking assistance, and vehicular assistance.
Use interview and interrogation tactics to uncover information about incidents.
Conduct patrols using a community-oriented approach.

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.
Premium pay such as shift and on-call pay, based on teammate status and role.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
Eligibility for programs may depend on FTE or employment status.