Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Ind., is the first network in the state to have its own police force, according to an article on the Journal-Gazette website.
The Parkview Police Department will have 19 members. Chief Tom Rhoades, who has worked as head of security for Parkview and is a retired Fort Wayne police officer, lobbied for the creation of the force for several years.
While Parkview officials could not give figures on how much the police department would cost, they said after the initial purchase of equipment, there would be very little extra funding needed.
“The need for this really came to light on Sept. 9, 2012,” said Rhoades, referring to a case involving a shooting attack on a Fort Wayne ambulance.
In that case, an ambulance taking a stabbing victim from a north-end bar was ambushed by a gunman.
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