‘Police powers’ for Welwyn Garden City hospital guards
SECURITY guards have been given ‘police powers’ to help keep staff and patients at two hospitals safe.
The five officers from Arena Security have been granted the special status by Hertfordshire Constabulary, under the national Community Safety Accrediation Scheme.
They will be able to ask for the name and address of anyone they suspect of causing anti-social behaviour at the QE2 and Lister hospitals, and request checks via the police national computer.
Chief insp Dave Newsome said: “We welcome our colleagues from Arena Security into the ‘extended police family’.
“Although assaults are rare, we hope that by giving these officers ‘police’ powers, the number of incidents will be further reduced.
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“I hope it offers a sense of community reassurance, which will make hospital staff and members of the public feel – and be – even safer in our town’s hospitals.”
The security officers are Kingstone Gurure and Malik Mohammad, who cover the QE2 Hospital in WGC, and Ludek Fierlinger, Keith Froy and Joseph Codjoe, based at the Lister in Stevenage.
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They were given certificates and identity cards at a special presentation at Hatfield Police Station.
Ian Colpitts, Hertfordshire Constabulary’s community safety accreditation and police service volunteers project officer, said: “These powers are a natural step forward in helping to protect hospital staff and members of the public.
“It is important that members of the public know accredited security guards are patrolling hospital and they have certain ‘police’ powers.”
He added: “With their accredited status, the security officers can deal more effectively with anyone causing anti-social behaviour and exclude them from the hospitals.”
