Chapter 13 - Public Safety Liaison

Abstract

While protecting the legal rights of patients and expediting the legitimate activities of public safety agencies, healthcare organizations must ensure that they provide proper medical care to patients. The primary objectives of healthcare organizations and of public safety agencies can be quite different with respect to patients. The relationship of the patient to the law enforcement agency determines the procedure to be followed. In other words, a patient who is the subject of an investigation, is in protective custody, or is a witness should be handled differently than a patient who is actually under arrest, incarcerated, or for whom an arrest warrant has been issued. Cooperation and understanding of both the healthcare organization and public safety staff are advantageous for both parties. The problems or potential issues between public safety and healthcare employees are less acute; however, objectives and policies must be mutually respected. The majority of interaction between security and public safety agencies is with local and state law enforcement authorities and/or correctional officers. In addition, fire service, emergency preparedness, border patrol, and other federal law enforcement agencies also have frequent business with healthcare organizations. The security department is the primary contact point for these interactions.