Grants peace officer status to security officers employed by Albany Memorial Hospital, Samaritan Hospital, and St. Peter's Hospital

Limited peace officer powers for hospital security

Security officers at Albany Memorial, Samaritan, and St. Peter’s Hospitals now have limited peace officer powers while on duty. Their authority applies on hospital property, including subsidiaries, and on public streets or sidewalks next to the hospital. They may use only specific powers named in state law and may detain someone while waiting for police. Detention must be reasonable in time and based on actual knowledge or probable cause that an offense happened. Outside those areas, they may act only if the local police chief asks them to transport an arrestee when police are unavailable. They cannot carry a firearm without a state license, and the law takes effect immediately.