Mary Rutan has been working with Bellefontaine city leaders since last year to reach an agreement that would place a police officer in the hospital at all times, Stahler said.
All of the city’s police officers would work shifts in the hospital, not just new hires, Stahler said.
The hospital will cover the cost of salaries, training, equipment and benefits for the new officers, said Chad Ross, vice president of operations at Mary Rutan Hospital.
“We feel like we’re getting officers that are highly trained, that know our facility, know the community,” Ross said.
Officers will begin working shifts at the hospital in phases, Ross said.
“Safety of our patients, our visitors and our staff are of paramount importance to us,” he said.
Mary Rutan currently uses a private security company on weeknights and hires off-duty Bellefontaine officers to work on weekend nights, he said. The private security officers are not armed.
The changes are not because the hospital is unsafe, Ross said.
“People’s expectations of a public facility are changing given the day and age we live in,” he said.
Patients and employees feel safer when armed officers are around, he said, and are able to deescalate situations quickly because of their training.
“Those situations will be stifled quickly if they do arise,” he said. “And in many instances we think they won’t arise at all because of the presence of the officers.”
City council unanimously approved the agreement through an ordinance last week, Stahler said. A second reading of the ordinance is expected in two weeks, according to the mayor.
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