Public Safety Officer I - Armed (PSO)

Advocate Health Care; Park Ridge (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health Care seeks a Public Safety Officer I - Armed at Lutheran General hospital in Park Ridge, IL. The role is full-time, 1st shift (6am-2:30pm) with responsibilities across patrols, incident response, and collaboration with law enforcement.

Responsibilities include maintaining safety, de‑escalating threats, and reporting incidents while upholding hospital policies and training standards.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 1 year of security/public safety experience preferred.
• Licensure and certifications such as CHSO, FOID/CCW, NIMS, and firearm endorsement required within specified timelines.
• Background check and drug screen required.
• Physically able to lift up to 35 lbs and wear required gear.

Responsibilities

• Provide security services with a customer-service focus and professional demeanor.
• Patrol interior and exterior areas, identify hazards, and enforce safety rules.
• Respond to emergencies, de-escalate conflicts, and document incidents.
• Coordinate with law enforcement and first responders as needed.
• Maintain training, equipment, and timely security reports.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Customer service

De-escalation

Communication

Team collaboration

Firearm safety

Observation and vigilance

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Job description

It's More Than a Job, It's a Calling!

Position: Public Safety Officer I - Armed

Location: Lutheran General hospital; Park Ridge, IL.

Full Time; 1st Shift

~Hours: 6am-2:30pm

Major Responsibilities

• Provides security services with a customer-service approach, focusing on professionalism, fairness, and compassion even in challenging circumstances and in accordance with policies, procedures, and training.
• Inspires confidence in patients, visitors, and team members by presenting a professional, approachable, and service-oriented appearance and demeanor. Is alert, observant, and ethical. Complies with and enforces all safety and security rules and regulations. Maintains Department uniform and equipment in good repair.
• Performs routine responsibilities during interior and exterior patrols to ensure safety and security, including but not limited to inspections to identify vulnerabilities, hazards, and fire conditions, audits of Interim Life Safety Measures, patient valuables management, and thorough contraband searches. Assists team members, patients, and visitors by providing information, directions, and physical help. Ensures traffic control, monitors conduct of visitors on premises and confronts unauthorized persons for questioning.
• Prevents, responds to, and investigates workplace violence. Responds to service calls, such as combative or threatening patients or visitors and team member incidents.
• Serves as a primary resource for de-escalation, utilizing use of force when necessary (e.g. conducted electrical weapon (CEW), handcuffing.)
• Performs key responsibilities to plan, prevent, practice, and respond to emergencies such as lost or abducted infants/children, fire, and active threats.
• Responds immediately to emergency and crisis situations; physically intervenes in accordance with training to situations that have a potential for injury.
• Investigates incidents that occur on Advocate Health property and completes timely and accurate reports. Addresses and escalates complaints to the appropriate leader and provides supporting documentation.
• Performs liaison rounding duties to cultivate close partnerships with all departments and units. Delivers security awareness education to team members to leverage their assistance in the overall security of the site.
• Liaisons with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responder agencies. Coordinates, briefs, and monitors every law enforcement prisoner patient guard to ensure policy compliance and prevent unsafe practices.
• Maintains current Department training standards in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control (e.g. “STOP the BLEED”), CPR, application of clinical restraints, conducted energy weapon (e.g. TASER), to include training on any/all department-issued equipment and/or requirements identified in training academy and the Annual Training Plan.
• Assists with exterior traffic and crowd control, including parking enforcement, valet parking assist, and vehicular assistance.
• Utilizes Interview and Interrogation tactics to uncover information about incidents that have occurred.
• Completes patrolling with a community-oriented approach.

Licensure, Registration, And/or Certification Required

• Security Officer Healthcare Certification (CHSO) issued by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) must be obtained on a one-time basis within two years of appointment to this role. Recertification is not required.
• For North Carolina teammates, an Armed Guard License issued by NC Private Protective Services must be obtained within 1 year and maintained through training and competency assessments.
• NIMS Compliance Certification.
• Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Card issued by the Illinois State Police or Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
• Must meet State of IL Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licensing requirements and able to obtain a Firearm Control Card (FCC) for Proprietary Personnel within 90 days of hire.
• Stop the Bleed Certification.
• A valid driver’s license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicle.
• Certified in Conducted Energy Weapon (e.g. TASER) use within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.
• Maintains strong awareness of street drugs, gang activity, and human trafficking.

Education Required

• High School Diploma or GED.

Experience Required

• Typically requires 1 years of experience in a security, related public safety, or customer service area that includes experiences in responding to emergent situations and identifying and resolving issues that pose a potential risk to patients, visitors, teammates and/or property.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• An above average level of emotional intelligence, including empathetic and compassionate responses to teammate, visitor, and patient incidents.
• The ability to function in a work environment in which we maximize teammate talent, treat each other with respect, and care for one another like family and with kindness.
• A daily commitment to patient-centered safety practices.
• Collaborative work with medical staff and external law enforcement, as appropriate.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure to support a safe, welcoming, and therapeutic environment for everyone in the facility.
• The ability to interact with peers with positive intent and create innovative solutions through collaborative relationships.
• Must successfully pass background investigation, drug screen, pre-placement physical and psychological screening assessment post-offer, pre-employment and periodically thereafter. Teammates already employed in Public Safety Officer position prior to “7-28-24” will have 18 months to comply.
• Illinois team members must have completed State of Illinois 20-hour Basic Security Officer course with semi-automatic pistol endorsement.
• Willingness to carry a department authorized firearm while on duty. The firearm and level III holster must be purchased upon hire, supplied, and maintained by the Officer as outlined in the Public Safety Firearms Policy and approved by the Department Range Masters.
• Required annually to 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, un-assisted. Probationary Officers must complete range qualification within their 90-day probationary period and must attend the first qualification date within their probationary period.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise mature judgment and sound reasoning while maintaining a courteous and tactful demeanor in dealings with teammates, visitors, and patients, even if they are verbally aggressive persons.
• Demonstrated experience in quickly assessing dangerous situations and taking appropriate action.
• Demonstrated ability in verbal and written communications.
• Ability to use a computer to document work (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, navigating a web page, and database entry).
• Ability to defend self-and/or others in case of physical confrontations when de-escalation efforts fail and there is cause to physically restrain a person against their will who is non-compliant and committing a criminal act or lacks capacity and is attempting to elope.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people; ability to hear radio and telephone communications at both high and low decibels.
• Ability to communicate via radio and telephone with clear diction without impediments.

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

• Must sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday and must lift up to 35 lbs. occasionally. Must be able to push/pull with 35 lbs. of force.
• Must possess the hand strength, dexterity, and ability to safely operate a firearm. Must perform all functions of operating, loading/un-loading, breaking down and cleaning a firearm un-assisted and without assist devices.
• Have 20/20 vision in both eyes or correctable to 20/20 with corrective lenses in both eyes.
• 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 be able to handle personal stress and possible violence.
• Must be physically fit and able to walk all areas of the facilities and grounds, to restrain those who need restraint and be able to assist clinical teammates with lifting patients of all sizes.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Behavioral Threat Assessment knowledge.
• Use of Force Review.
• Crime through environmental design awareness.
• Ability to present material and facilitate meetings.

DISCLAIMER

All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or position. Employees must follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by their leaders.