Carilion Police and Security Expand Efforts to Connect with Employees

In the fall, our police department welcomed 3 new police officers who graduated from Salem Cardinal Justice Academy after 27 weeks of training.

“These new recruits have really excelled through the training process,” says Arron Cook, administrative captain for the department. “It’s great to keep things internal, and these officers show a good deal of growth in the department. We are excited to have them join the team.”

While our police department, systemwide, has around 60 police officers, some of them began their police work journey as a security officer at Carilion. 

To support employee growth and development, security officers who show strong leadership and performance are often encouraged to complete training through the academy to become fully trained police officers and join the police force in a new role. 

Security personnel who commit to the officer recruitment program take advantage of an important growth opportunity underscoring their dedication to the team. Officer duties require heavy physical training, thorough background investigation, and an extensive interview process. After academy graduation, newly trained recruits go on to do 100 more hours of training with a senior officer to ensure that they are ready to work independently. 

“Having extensive training to oversee all kinds of emergencies is crucial in a healthcare setting," says Captain Cook. "We see a wide variety of events throughout our campus and being prepared to act quickly to manage an urgent situation helps to keep us all safe.” 

More Resources to Help

With every newly trained officer at Carilion, the department has more power to assist people and ensure safety throughout the campus. 

As the only private police force for a healthcare organization in Virginia, our Police and Security Department does unique and meaningful work to uphold safety standards, assist during emergencies, and support internal operations throughout our system. 

One of the department's biggest goals is to encourage open communication with employees. “We really want to provide greater protection for those going out of their way to support healthcare and wellbeing throughout the community,” says Captain Cook. 

As a result, the department added a new specialized position to help bridge the communication gap between employees and police personnel. In July, they welcomed Jonathan Watkins, Carilion Police's first community resource officer, to the team. 

Officer Watkins' key role is to ensure that staff feel safe and supported, especially after any kind of physical altercation from a patient. He is able to accomplish this through building trust with staff in different ways, some of which include regularly overseeing units, taking time to sit down with staff to discuss incident details, guiding them through court proceedings, and being available for general security support and backup across the campus.

“Officer Watkins has done wonderful work connecting with teams. For instance, he has dialed into nursing floors to see what they need from us and what we can do to provide that support," says Captain Cook. "The best of our department is often seen in small gestures, like helping with a flat tire or walking an employee to their car. We want to do what we can to ensure that our employees feel safe and secure when they are at work.”

Carilion Police and Security are available to any employee who needs assistance with safety issues or access. Through building and improving the support system for everyone in our organization, they hope to further improve safety communication and overall staff wellbeing.

Ensuring Your Safety

For any immediate safety concerns or to request an escort, reach out to Carilion Police and Security at the following numbers: 

• CMC: 540-981-7911 
• CFMH: 540-420-5729 
• CGCH: 540-922-4130 
• CNRV: 540-731-2911 
• CRBH: 540-460-7962 
• CTCH: 276-988-8710 

For any emergency outside of Carilion locations, dial 911.