Security Management

1. Security Management

2. VISITING HOURS • Visiting hours are set by the Medical Center Director for the convenience and well being of patients, visitors and employees. • Employees are initially responsible for enforcing visitation on their wards. Those visitors refusing to leave will be escorted off the ward by VA Police. • Visitors under the age of 15 must have written permission from the patient’s physician and the Chief of Staff. • HOPTEL visitors are issued a special ID badge and are NOT permitted to have guests after hours.

3. Violence in the Workplace According to MCP 007-011, Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, the level of violence is to be tolerated at the medical center is Zero Tolerance.

4. Most violent incidents and assaults are usually preceded by warnings signs. • Some of the warnings signs are: • interpersonal conflict with coworkers and supervisors • inordinate amount of supervisor's time coaching or counseling • unwelcome sexual comments or threats of physical assault • a sense of persecution/injustice • loner, decreased social support • holds grudges, especially against supervisors • fascination with guns or other weapons • continual excuses/blame; inability to accept responsibility for behavior • unshakable depression; expressions of cynicism or despair • veiled threats - references to other workplace violence

5. ABUSIVE CONTACT BEHAVIOR Abusive Contact Behavior can be defined as an aggressive behavior that results in physical contact between patient-patient, employee-employee, or patient-employee. Visitor contact is also included. Such behavior is prohibited within the confines of the facility, grounds or transporting vehicles. REPORT IT ! • All person experiencing or witnessing any abusive contact behavior are required to immediately report such behavior to VA Police. Reporting of these incidents is not discretionary; it is mandatory by both the witnesses and the victims of the physical contact. You do not need a witness to make a report. • Person experiencing abusive contact behavior are not required to bring charges against the aggressor, but are required to report the incident. Witnesses are required to give testimony on the incident as necessary. The Medical Center will not tolerate physical contact incidents by anyone and will employ the necessary services to take action to the fullest extent to seek redress and to prevent recurrence.

6. POLICE ESCORT SERVICE Because of the nature of your work, you may be required to enter and/or depart the Medical Center at varying hours. Police Service recognizes this danger and offers an escort to or from your vehicle while on Medical Center grounds, upon request. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please keep in mind, however, you may be asked to wait a few minutes if the on duty officers are on an emergency call.

7. Cleveland James Carter IDENTIFICATION BADGES The ID badge identifies you as a VA employee and assists identifying who belongs on VA property. Medical Center Policy requires all employees to display their issued ID badges, with picture and name visible, in a location above the waist. ID badges will be worn at all times while on Medical Center property. Lost or stolen ID badges will be reported to the VA Police immediately. If an ID badge is lost or misplaced and not found or returned in the mail within ten (10) work days, it will be replaced at a cost of $3.00 to the employee. Wear It Always

8. PARKING Obey traffic control devices unless otherwise instructed by a VA Police Officer. Notice (payable fine) There are some violations for which you can receive a payable fine for first offense. They are: • Handicapped parking • Emergency vehicle lanes (red curb) Fire Lanes • Emergency Vehicle parking • Blocking a wheelchair ramp • Parking in Reserved Spaces or Patient spaces EMPLOYEES are required to register their vehicles with the VA Police and obtain a parking decal which will be affixed to the lower right corner of the windshield. EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS and RESIDENT INTERNS, whether employed by the VA or other area health facilities, are considered staff members and are required to park in areas designated for employees only.

9. Help Prevent Theft ! LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED PROPERTY Theft, loss or damage of personal or government property can be a serious crime. Report them immediately to the VA Police. Whenever you are out of your office…. LOCK IT UP. Remember to secure your government property as well. File cabinets, desks, and computers can be accessed too. You can help prevent thefts and not become a victim of theft by securing your valuables.

10. THREATENING PHONE CALLS If you receive a threatening or harassing phone call, stay calm. Try to identify the caller, where they may be calling from and what the person wants or needs. If possible, send someone else to another phone and have them notify the VA Police and telephone operator, giving both parties the extension that the call came in on. Many calls of this nature are from a person suffering from an emotional instability who are only reaching out for help. Whether the threat from the caller is directed toward you, the Medical Center (bomb threat), or themselves (suicide), notify the VA Police and Telephone Operator.

11. CONTRABAND Due to the health environment in which we work and the fact that the Medical Center is Federal Government Property, there are some items which are considered contraband(prohibited items) on the hospital grounds that may be perfectly legal outside of the facility. Items considered to be contraband on VA property are: 1. Knives with a blade length over 3” 2. Guns or any weapon which shoots a projectile 3. Spray irritants-pepper spray and mace 4. Any martial-arts weapons

12. The introduction of any weapons, except by authorized personnel, onto VA property is strictly prohibited. If you are in possession of items that you feel may be illegal on hospital property…stop by the Police Operations office and check before going any further into the facility. This office will be happy to hold your items for “safe-keeping” until you are ready to depart the facility.

13. QUICK INFORMATION For emergency response use extension 2222 or pick up any red phone. To obtain VA Police directly for non-emergencies, dial: 6200 at Brecksville 4207 at Wade Park 4409 at Canton Clinic Overhead Page at Youngstown Clinic From outside of the Medical Center, assistance can be reached by dialing: Brecksville unit: (440) 526-3030 Wade Park unit: (216) 791-3800

14. Duty to Report Criminal Activities According to Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations, all VA employees are required and have the legal duty to report, to law enforcement, possible or actual criminal activity or serious matters that could involve physical harm to other employees, VA patients, veterans or other individuals.