Safe and Secure

“I hate when anybody feels scared. I absolutely hate it,” Brandon Ingram says.

Ingram is director of Covenant Health’s security service, a position he’s held since December 2019. In that short period of time, he’s been active in carrying out a mission that’s on a dry erase board in his office – “security is here to protect life, protect property and maintain order.”

According to Ingram, 75 percent of workplace violence is in healthcare settings.

“Healthcare workers are trying to do their jobs and give help to the community,” says Ingram. “I want them to know we’ve got their back.”

As of April 1, 2020, security at Covenant Health hospitals is handled by Shield and Buckler Security, Inc. The security force includes 22 officers stationed at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center.

Shield and Buckler is a locally owned security company led by a former Knox County Sheriff’s Department sergeant and former member of the KCSO SWAT team. Officers go through a variety of background checks and multiple layers of training.

Ingram says officers will patrol, answer calls and commit to being part of the community inside the hospitals. Covenant Health security officers carry firearms, batons, pepper spray and Tasers. They also carry compassion.

“As an officer, if a nurse needs you to grab a blanket from the warmer for a patient, you should do that,” Ingram says. “If someone asks you to get a drink of water for a patient, you should be able to do that, too.” Officers also will take an active role in helping visitors find their way around hospitals, and hospital staff can request safety-related classes.

Threat Assessment Team

A call to Security doesn’t end with the person who is on the other end of the line. Covenant Health has established a Threat Assessment Team to review every call and make sure every case is brought to a conclusion.

“When we get a threat of violence against a hospital or an individual, we immediately start investigating,” Ingram says.

High-risk cases are referred to local law enforcement for follow-up. The rest of the cases are handled promptly by the Covenant Health security force.

After the initial investigation and initial action plan, Ingram often goes to the facility and meets with staff, calming fears and offering recommendations for personal safety.

“We want to let them know Covenant Health is not going to put up with it,” Ingram says.

Four-legged Officers on Patrol

Covenant Health security now includes a total of three K9 officers. At Fort Sanders Regional, visitors see Bono, a well-trained German shepherd, on patrol helping his human partner Officer James Burkett keep watch.

People who are in the hospital for the right reasons are comforted by the dogs’ presence. Those who may be illegally carrying weapons or drugs are rightfully intimidated.

“Having a K-9 in the hospital setting provides an additional level of security and comfort,” says Burkett. “We want our staff, patients and visitors to feel safer because we are here. Our goal is to be part of the Fort Sanders Regional family and work hand in hand with security to make Fort Sanders Regional a safer place to be.”

Covenant Health canines are working dogs and should be treated as such. The handler is the only person who pets and cares for the canine partner.

Doing What’s Right

Ingram is an East Tennessee native who has spent most of his adult life working in healthcare security. He says he loves protecting the people who are working to protect the lives of others.

“We will take every call. We will investigate every call. We will report every call. We will follow up,” Ingram says. “We want Covenant Health employees to have confidence in us because we take their safety seriously. We take it to heart.”