A recent collaborative effort between law enforcement and Virtua Health has resulted in the establishment of police substations at the hospital system’s Voorhees location.
The township police department unveiled the joint initiative at an event hosted at Virtua late last month. It emphasizes a new approach aimed at enhancing safety for both hospital staff and patients.
“The objective is to continue to enhance security at the building, providing a resource for officers to conveniently access necessities during their tour of duty,” explained Lt. Derek Hawkins as he shed light on the purpose of the substations.
The safety initiative is a result of efforts by key figures in the police department and Virtua’s security team.
“It was pretty much done between the chief and deputy chief and the head of security at Virtua,” Hawkins noted. “They worked out the specifics and provided the space so officers can work on location. It’s just an office that some of the officers will be utilizing there. It isn’t a precinct, but rather a place to assist staff with security measures.”
One of the primary goals of the substations is to enable a more rapid response to incidents that hospitals at times confront.
“Hospitals experience threats, domestic situations,” Hawkins said, “so this will allow us to have a speedier response when an officer is present while keeping everyone safe.”
Management of the substations will be the responsibility of assigned officers overseen by a sergeant who will coordinate duties.
“Officers are assigned to a sergeant, who puts together the task of the day, and they will be utilizing that area if it’s required for their duties that day,” Hawkins clarified.
The township police department’s collaborative approach has been met with enthusiasm from both hospital staff and officers.
“They love it very much,” Hawkins said. “Officers are appreciative of the space and being able to get things done in that surrounding area, which benefits this as well.”
The substations are part of a broader strategy to bolster safety measures at Virtua, and the collaboration of police and Virtua marks a significant step in that as it fosters closer ties between law enforcement and health-care institutions.
As the initiative progresses, officials say it can stand as a model for other towns to enhance safety measures at their local hospitals.
