Director of Law Enforcement

The Director of Law Enforcement provides high-level operational and administrative leadership for facility law enforcement services. This role is responsible for balancing hospital-specific safety needs with the direct management of sworn professionals assigned from the Sheriff’s Office while coordinating with the Contracted Security Officers Director and Staff. The Director ensures a safe, integrated environment for patients, staff, and visitors while maintaining a specialized "healthcare-first" approach to policing. As the leader of a sworn workforce, the Director must maintain all required certifications and complete annual training necessary to sustain their own sworn officer credentials and legal authority.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operational Leadership: Directs the daily activities and strategic alignment of the law enforcement presence. Ensures all law enforcement activities support the hospital's mission, patient care environment, and strategic safety goals.
• Credential & Certification Compliance: Proactively manages and maintains all required law enforcement certifications. Completes all annual training mandates and continuing education hours required to remain an active, sworn law enforcement officer. Works in conjunction with the Education and Human Resources Departments.
• Security Coordination: Functions as the primary liaison to coordinate with the Security Department to ensure a unified safety strategy. Synchronizes law enforcement actions with civilian security operations to provide seamless incident response.
• Personnel Supervision & Yearly Evaluations: Directly supervises and conducts yearly evaluations for subordinate managers and sworn professionals from the Sheriff’s Office. Oversees professional standards and coordinates disciplinary actions in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Office as needed.
• Staffing & Weekly Scheduling: Manages and approves weekly schedules for all law enforcement personnel to ensure continuous, 24/7 coverage. Optimizes deployment based on hospital volume, high-risk clinical areas, and emergency department needs.
• Competency & Training: Establishes and monitors annual competencies for all officers, ensuring they remain proficient in healthcare-specific de-escalation, behavioral health response, and clinical safety protocols.
• Policy Development: Develops, implements, and enforces departmental policies. Ensures all procedures comply with federal, state, and local laws, as well as healthcare-specific regulatory standards (e.g., DNV, CMS).
• Security Strategy & Investigations: Acts as the primary liaison with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Manages complex investigations into criminal acts, workplace violence, or internal threats on hospital grounds. Does not compromise patient or employee privacy and confidentiality while conducting investigations.
• Administrative & Fiscal Oversight: Prepares and manages the department’s annual administrative budget and equipment needs. Provides regular reports on safety metrics and budget variances to the AVP.
• Emergency Management: Oversees 24/7 law enforcement operational functions. Ensures rapid, effective response to emergencies, critical incidents, and hospital-specific codes.

KEY SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive law enforcement experience, with at least 5 years in a significant leadership or command-level role (Lieutenant or above preferred). Experience in a healthcare or campus environment is highly desirable.
• Active Law Enforcement Certification: Must maintain a NC Law Enforcement Officer certification.
• Credential Maintenance: Demonstrated commitment to fulfilling all annual training requirements to maintain active sworn credentials.
• Healthcare Expertise:de-escalation techniques, workplace violence prevention, and regulatory requirements (HIPAA, CMS, DNV) additional healthcare expertise that may be valuable: Understanding of scope of arrest/use of force in hospital setting; Collaborative safety planning and coordination with clinical teams; Knowledge of hospital disclosure protocols
• Collaborative Leadership: Proven ability to provide strategic leadership to sworn officers while effectively coordinating with civilian Hospital security departments.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

The Director of Law Enforcement reports directly to the AVP of Ancillary & Support Services.