JobsAdvocate Health

Public Security Officer

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Aug 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to de-escalate a combative patient or visitor without using force. What did you say and do?

whether the candidate has real de-escalation instincts before jumping to physical intervention

Have you ever had to use physical force or a restraint device like handcuffs or a CEW on someone? Tell me what happened and how you decided force was necessary.

judgment around use-of-force decisions and comfort discussing them honestly

Describe a time you noticed a safety hazard or vulnerability during a routine patrol that other people had missed.

attentiveness and follow-through on preventive security work, not just reactive incidents

Tell me about a time you had to write up an incident report. What made it accurate and useful to the people who read it after you?

documentation quality, since reports drive investigations and legal follow-up

Tell me about a time you had to build trust with a department or unit that didn't see security as a partner.

relationship-building skill for the liaison rounding and education parts of the job

How do you keep yourself steady after responding to a violent or emotionally intense incident, especially if you have another one right after?

self-awareness about stress management and sustainability in a role with frequent exposure to aggression

Technical

What does a contraband search actually involve, and how do you make sure you're following policy and not overstepping someone's rights?

working knowledge of search procedures and awareness of legal and ethical limits

What do you know about IAHSS certification and CEW certification, and where are you in that process if you've started it?

awareness of required credentials and readiness to meet them on the department's timeline

Situational

Walk me through how you would handle a report of a lost or possibly abducted infant in the hospital.

knowledge of emergency protocol and ability to stay calm and methodical under high-stakes time pressure

A visitor refuses to leave a unit after being asked twice by staff and is becoming loud. What do you do first, second, and third?

whether the person escalates appropriately in stages rather than jumping straight to force

How would you handle a law enforcement officer guarding a prisoner patient who isn't following hospital policy?

confidence enforcing hospital rules with outside authority figures without creating conflict

A staff member complains that a coworker has been threatening them off and on for weeks. How do you approach investigating that?

ability to handle workplace violence complaints with sensitivity and proper escalation

What would you do if you saw a coworker cutting corners on a safety check or use-of-force procedure?

integrity and willingness to hold peers accountable rather than looking away

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11926 Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center - Public Safety Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: 1.0 FTE 2nd shift Public Safety Officer position working 40 hours per week and every other weekend. Pay Range: $21.85 - $32.80 Major Responsibilities: Provides security services with a customer-service approach, focusing on professionalism, fairness, and compassion even     in challenging circumstances and in accordance with policies, procedures, and training.  Inspires confidence in patients, visitors, and team members by presenting a professional, approachable, and service-    oriented appearance and demeanor. Is alert, observant, and ethical. Complies with and enforces all safety and security     rules and regulations. Maintains Department uniform and equipment in good repair.  Performs routine responsibilities during interior and exterior patrols to ensure safety and security, including but not     limited to inspections to identify vulnerabilities, hazards, and fire conditions, audits of Interim Life Safety Measures,     patient valuables management, and thorough contraband searches. Assists team members, patients, and visitors by providing information, directions, and physical help. Ensures traffic control, monitors conduct of visitors on premises and confronts unauthorized persons for questioning.  Prevents, responds to, and investigates workplace violence. Responds to service calls, such as combative or threatening patients or visitors and team member incidents.  Serves as a primary resource for de-escalation, utilizing use of force when necessary (e.g. conducted electrical weapon  (CEW), handcuffing.)  Performs key responsibilities to plan, prevent, practice, and respond to emergencies such as lost or abducted     infants/children, fire, and active threats.  Responds immediately to emergency and crisis situations; physically intervenes in accordance with training to situations that have a potential for injury.  Investigates incidents that occur on Advocate Health property and completes timely and accurate reports. Addresses and escalates complaints to the appropriate leader and provides supporting documentation.  Performs liaison rounding duties to cultivate close partnerships with all departments and units. Delivers security awareness education to team members to leverage their assistance in the overall security of the site.  Liaisons with federal, state, and local law enforcement and first responder agencies. Coordinates, briefs, and monitors every law enforcement prisoner patient guard to ensure policy compliance and prevent unsafe practices.  Maintains current Department training standards in radio communications, verbal de-escalation, hemorrhage control (e.g. “STOP the BLEED”), CPR, application of clinical restraints, conducted energy weapon (e.g. TASER), to include training on any/all department-issued equipment and/or requirements identified in training academy and the Annual Training Plan.  Assists with exterior traffic and crowd control, including parking enforcement, valet parking assist, and vehicular assistance. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: Security Officer Healthcare Certification (CHSO) issued by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) must be obtained on a one-time basis within two years of appointment to this role. Recertification is not     required.  A valid driver’s license issued by the Division of Motor Vehicle.  For Illinois teammates must have completed State of Illinois 20-hour Basic Security Officer course  For Illinois teammates: Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) issued by the Illinois State Police. For Wisconsin teammates: Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ)  Certified in Conducted Energy Weapon (e.g. TASER) use within 90 days of hire and periodically thereafter.  Education Required: High school graduate or GED  Experience Required: Typically requires 1 years of experience in a security, related public safety, or customer service area that includes experiences in responding to emergent situations and identifying and resolving issues that pose a potential risk to patients, visitors, teammates and/or property. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: An above average level of emotional intelligence, including empathetic and compassionate responses to   teammate ,   visitor, and patient incidents.   The ability to function in a work environment in which we maximize teammate talent, treat each other with respect, and   care for one another like family and with kindness.   A daily commitment to patient-centered safety practices.   Collaborative work with medical staff and external law enforcement, as   appropriate .   The ability to remain calm under pressure to support a safe, welcoming, and therapeutic environment for everyone in   the facility .   The ability to interact with peers with positive intent and create innovative solutions through collaborative relationships .   Must successfully pass background investigation, drug screen, pre-placement physical post-offer, pre-employment Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: Must sit, stand, walk, and drive throughout the workday and must lift up to 35 lbs. occasionally. Must be able to push/pull with 35 lbs. of force.  Have 20/20 vision in both eyes or correctable to 20/20 with corrective lenses in both eyes.  May be exposed to mechanical, electrical, chemical, explosive, and radiation hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary.  Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.  Frequent exposure to aggressive behavior and emotionally charged situations.  Must be able to handle personal stress and possible violence.  Must be physically fit and able to walk all areas of the facilities and grounds, to restrain those who need restraint and be able to assist clinical teammates with lifting patients of all sizes. Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Behavioral Threat Assessment knowledge  Use of Force Review  Crime through environmental design awareness  Ability to present material and facilitate meetings DISCLAIMER All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or position.   Employees must follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by their leaders. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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