Security is for the dogs: The benefits of canine teams in safety planning

By Brian Uridge, CTM, CHPA, CPP, MPA

In a healthcare setting, security professionals must ensure that staff, patients, and visitors are safe, but also that they feel safe. Both reality and perception matter.

When it comes to creating a safe environment that also feels safe, canine teams are an excellent solution.

Safety planning is an important part of the work of Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) teams. Adding canines into the work environment as part of a facility’s safety plan is a proactive way to promote a secure environment.

While a dog cannot stop an active shooter, it can deter potential threats while also making staff, patients, and visitors less anxious. The selection and training for both the dogs and handlers that comprise canine teams is very intensive. Whether the dogs are certified in explosives and firearms detection or are professional therapy dogs, the presence of canine teams in healthcare settings creates environments that are safer and feel safer.

Creating a safer environment

According to The Joint Commission, the two greatest causes of violence in hospitals are crowded waiting rooms and long wait-times for care.  One of the most helpful uses of security canines is having them interact with the people in a crowded waiting room. This helps mitigate violence before it begins. In fact, a health system in Washington state found a 30% reduction in violence after instituting a canine program. 

Many hospitals report a significant improvement in the response of challenging patients when canines are involved. For individuals who have uncontrolled behavior, the canine-security officer team provides a presence that often helps the individual calm themselves without other modes of intervention to prevent violence against staff members in their workplace.

The canines are not meant to be an aggressive means of force. Rather, they are a crucial deterrent that offers a different type of strong security presence, whether in day-to-day operations of a hospital, or at larger community health events where they can assist with screening or perimeter sweeping. 

Creating feelings of well-being

The presence of the canines provides a calming effect for staff but also keeps patients and visitors in check. The goal is not to intimidate, but rather “lower the temperature” of the care environment in general. The dogs, just by walking around and interacting in waiting rooms, staff areas, or even pediatric units, can reduce anxiety and lift people’s spirits.

Hospital staff in particular report feeling safe and more comfortable when they know a canine team is making the rounds on their floor. In addition, some TAM teams report an increase in successful de-escalations when therapy dogs are used to help intervene. 

It is understandable for healthcare organizations to have concerns about incorporating canines into their TAM planning and strategy. From legal ramifications to community perception to a potential safety risk to patients, there are many factors to carefully consider before deciding to introduce security canines.

But overwhelmingly, the hospitals that have incorporated certified and highly trained canines into their security team report positive outcomes. When it comes to solutions that both create a safer environment and also help people to experience feelings of well-being in that environment, you can’t do much better than calling in the dogs.