Public Safety (Security) Officer - Unarmed

Advocate Health • Kohler, WI

9d • $22 - $33

About The Position

The Public Safety (Security) Officer provides unarmed security services with a customer-service approach, emphasizing professionalism, fairness, compassion, and compliance with policies, procedures, and training. The officer helps create a safe, welcoming, and therapeutic environment for patients, visitors, and teammates through patrols, emergency response, incident investigation, education, and collaboration with clinical teams and law enforcement.

The position is full-time, 40 hours per week, with a Monday-through-Friday schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Training includes a 40-hour new Officer Academy and 120-hour site-based orientation. The listed pay range is $21.85–$32.80.

The officer conducts interior and exterior patrols; identifies vulnerabilities, hazards, fire conditions, and contraband; assists patients, visitors, and teammates; and supports traffic and crowd control. The role responds to workplace violence, service calls, emergencies, and crises, using de-escalation and, when necessary, trained physical intervention and equipment such as a conducted energy weapon and handcuffs. The officer investigates incidents on Advocate Health property, completes accurate reports, escalates complaints, conducts liaison rounds, provides security-awareness education, and coordinates with law enforcement and first responders.

Required qualifications include a high school diploma or GED, typically one year of relevant security, public safety, or customer-service experience, a valid driver's license, and applicable state-specific credentials. The officer must obtain the IAHSS Healthcare Security Officer Certification within two years of appointment and become certified in conducted energy weapon use within 90 days of hire, with periodic recertification or training as applicable. Candidates must pass a background investigation, drug screen, and pre-placement physical.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Typically one year of experience in security, a related public safety field, or customer service, including responding to emergent situations and identifying and resolving risks to patients, visitors, teammates, or property.
• Valid driver's license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicle.
• Obtain the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) Security Officer Healthcare Certification (CHSO) within two years of appointment; recertification is not required.
• Certification in conducted energy weapon (e.g., TASER) use within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.
• For Illinois teammates: completion of the State of Illinois 20-hour Basic Security Officer course and a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) issued by the Illinois State Police.
• For Wisconsin teammates: a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
• Demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and compassion when responding to teammate, visitor, and patient incidents.
• Ability to work respectfully and kindly with teammates and contribute to a collaborative environment and patient-centered safety practices.
• Ability to collaborate with medical staff and external law enforcement as appropriate.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and support a safe, welcoming, therapeutic facility environment.
• Ability to interact with peers with positive intent and develop solutions through collaborative relationships.
• Successfully pass a background investigation, drug screen, and pre-placement physical after an offer of employment.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday; occasionally lift up to 35 pounds and push or pull with 35 pounds of force.
• Have 20/20 vision in both eyes, or vision correctable to 20/20 with corrective lenses in both eyes.
• Ability to walk all areas of facilities and grounds, restrain individuals when required, and assist clinical teammates with lifting patients of all sizes.
• Ability 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.
• 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 professional, fair, compassionate, customer-service-oriented security services in accordance with policies, procedures, and training.
• Maintain an alert, observant, ethical, professional, and approachable presence; comply with and enforce safety and security rules; maintain department uniform and equipment.
• Conduct interior and exterior patrols and inspect for vulnerabilities, hazards, fire conditions, and contraband; audit Interim Life Safety Measures and manage patient valuables.
• Provide information, directions, and physical assistance to teammates, patients, and visitors; control traffic and monitor visitor conduct, questioning unauthorized persons as needed.
• Prevent, respond to, and investigate workplace violence and respond to service calls involving combative or threatening patients or visitors and teammate incidents.
• Use de-escalation as a primary response and use force, including conducted energy weapons or handcuffing, when necessary and in accordance with training.
• Plan for, prevent, practice, and respond to emergencies such as missing or abducted infants or children, fires, and active threats.
• Respond immediately to emergencies and crises and physically intervene, within training, when situations have the potential to cause injury.
• Investigate incidents on Advocate Health property, complete timely and accurate reports, address and escalate complaints, and provide supporting documentation.
• Conduct liaison rounds to build partnerships with departments and units and provide security-awareness education to teammates.
• Liaise with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responders; coordinate, brief, and monitor law-enforcement prisoner patient guards to ensure policy compliance and safe practices.
• Maintain training in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control, CPR, clinical restraints, conducted energy weapons, and department-issued equipment and training-plan requirements.
• Assist with exterior traffic and crowd control, parking enforcement, valet parking assistance, and vehicular assistance.

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, premium pay for eligible work, incentive pay for select positions, and opportunity for annual performance-based increases.
• Career development programs and well-being programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED