Five officers were sworn into duty recently at the newly created IU Health LaPorte Police Department, a response to an increase in violence at hospitals, according to an article on the NWI.com website.
"Over the last couple of decades there have been an increasing number of incidents of violence toward healthcare workers and this will help us address that," said Thor Thordarson, president and CEO of the hospital.
Eleven more security officers will become actual police officers at the department over the next two years.
As sworn officers, the personnel must attend law enforcement academy training, and then will be authorized to make arrests on hospital grounds and out in the community.
Previously, security officers could respond to disturbances on hospital grounds, but without the power of arrest had to call in LaPorte city police officers to make the arrests.
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