Lead Public Safety Officer

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

Beth Israel Lahey Health and New England Baptist Hospital are devoted to consistently promoting a culture of Wellbeing, Empathy, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Equity as outlined in our organization's WE CARE values which can be reviewed here Our Values.

The Public Safety Lead provides day-to-day operational leadership and direction to Public Safety Officers while maintaining a safe and secure environment throughout the hospital. The Lead serves as a working leader who responds to incidents, coordinates security resources, supports staff performance, and serves as a primary point of contact between frontline security personnel and Security Supervisors. This position is expected to demonstrate advanced knowledge of hospital security operations, emergency response, de-escalation, customer service, and hospital policies. The Lead provides guidance and mentorship to Public Safety Officers and helps ensure consistent execution of departmental standards and procedures.

Job Description:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (including but not limited to):

• Provide daily operational direction and guidance to Public Safety Officers assigned to the shift.
• Serve as the lead security resource during incidents, emergencies, and high-risk situations.
• Assign officers to posts, patrol areas, special assignments, escorts, and other operational activities as directed.
• Monitor staffing and post coverage and communicate staffing concerns to the Public Safety Supervisor.
• Conduct regular rounds to assess security coverage, officer performance, and hospital security conditions.
• Respond to security incidents, workplace violence, disruptive behavior, patient/visitor disturbances, alarms, and emergency situations.
• Coordinate security response during significant incidents until relieved by a Public Safety Supervisor or other designated leader.
• Assist with the management of behavioral health, high-risk, and potentially combative patient situations.
• Provide coaching and real-time guidance to Public Safety Officers regarding appropriate response and hospital procedures.
• Assist with training and onboarding of new Public Safety Officers.
• Reinforce departmental policies, procedures, standards of conduct, appearance, customer service, and performance expectations.
• Monitor access control, CCTV, alarm systems, emergency communication systems, and other security technology.
• Conduct and document security inspections and identify potential vulnerabilities.
• Ensure required security rounds, checks, and documentation are completed accurately.
• Review incident reports for completeness and accuracy and provide feedback or corrections when necessary.
• Escalate significant incidents, policy violations, staffing concerns, equipment issues, and safety risks to the Public Safety Supervisor.
• Assist with investigations and collection/preservation of information related to security incidents.
• Coordinate with nursing, clinical departments, Facilities, Emergency Management, Human Resources, Risk Management, and other hospital departments as appropriate.
• Assist law enforcement and emergency responders when they respond to hospital incidents.
• Support emergency preparedness activities, drills, evacuations, lockdowns, disaster response, and other emergency procedures.
• Assist with special events, VIP visits, high-risk patient situations, and other security-sensitive activities.
• Monitor officer adherence to required equipment, uniform, identification, and post requirements.
• Provide guidance regarding traffic control, parking, access control, visitor management, and other security functions.
• Promote a professional, service-oriented security culture.
• Address minor performance or operational concerns in accordance with departmental procedures and escalate issues requiring supervisory intervention.
• Maintain confidentiality of patient, employee, and hospital information.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of security, healthcare security, public safety, military, or law enforcement experience preferred.
• Prior hospital security experience strongly preferred.
• Previous lead, senior officer, field training officer, or equivalent leadership experience preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of hospital security operations and workplace violence prevention principles.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, mentor, and motivate frontline employees.
• Ability to remain calm and exercise sound judgment during emergencies and high-risk situations.
• Strong conflict resolution and de-escalation skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple competing demands in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
• Proficiency with computers, security systems, access control, CCTV, and other technology preferred.
• A current, valid driver’s license is required. Completed upon hire: AVADE Workplace Violence Prevention Levels I, II, III Certification, BLS Provider Certification (CPR & AED), AHA Heart-Saver First Aid Certification, Stop the Bleed, and Nasal Naloxone Certification, and successful completion of Safe Environment for Suicidal/Homicidal Patients and Restraints/Seclusion Safety Training.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

· Consistently promote a culture of Wellbeing, Empathy, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Equity as outlined in the organization's WE CARE values.

· Demonstrated commitment and actions to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment

· Must maintain professional conduct and appearance consistent with hospital standards.

· Must be able to work rotating shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime as operationally required.

· Must be able to perform exterior tasks during adverse (hot/cold) weather conditions.

· Decision Making: Ability to make decisions that are guided by general instructions and practices requiring some interpretation. May make recommendations for solving problems of moderate complexity and importance.

· Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are routine, somewhat repetitive and generally solved by following clear directions and procedures and by identifying opportunities for process improvements.

· Independence of Action: Ability to follow precedents and procedures. May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines. Seeks assistance when confronted with difficult and/or unpredictable situations. Work progress is monitored by supervisor/manager.

· Written Communications: Ability to read and write in English in order to understand basic safety instructions and take direction from supervisors; communicate effectively with patients, families and other medical center staff; and respond to basic questions.

· Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and converse in English to communicate effectively with medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.

· Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate full working knowledge of standard concepts, practices, procedures and policies with the ability to use them in varied situations.

· Team Work: Ability to work collaboratively in small teams to improve the operations of immediate work group by offering ideas, identifying issues, and respecting team members.

· Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service to patients, visitors, staff and external customers in a professional, service-oriented, respectful manner using skills in active listening and problem solving. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

· Physical Nature of the Job: Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or 50 pounds of force frequently. Work is physically demanding and requires extended periods of standing and/or moving.

Pay Range:

$24.00 - $29.26

The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law.  Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices, as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled