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City approves hospital resource officer agreement with Avera St. Luke’s
Summary
Aberdeen approved a one-year, renewable agreement to assign a police hospital resource officer to the Avera St. Luke’s campus; chief said the program would draw on existing staffing and aid in behavioral-health and wait-time situations.
The Aberdeen City Council on Oct. 20 approved a one-year, automatically renewable agreement to place a hospital resource officer (HRO) at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital.
Chief McNeil told the council the department has long partnered with local schools and Northern State University and that an HRO at the hospital would “offer many benefits… that facilitates the safety and security that we expect for those environments.” He said the department reviewed operational staffing and concluded it could assign a primary officer and supporting officers for seven-days-a-week coverage without compromising patrol functions.
City Manager Robin Bobzin and staff described a negotiated contract with the hospital and credited City Attorney Ron Weager for refining terms to the city’s satisfaction. The contract calls for one-year increments and an annual evaluation of the arrangement and fees; council members confirmed rates would be revisited annually to account for inflation.
Operational notes: Chief McNeil said an assigned vehicle would be available on campus and that the HRO would leave the hospital to respond to 911 calls or critical incidents when necessary. The officer’s duties include assisting with incidents that otherwise would tie up patrol officers at hospital locations and supporting the hospital’s behavioral-health operations.
Vote: Council approved the agreement by voice vote. A formal roll call was not required; the mayor pro tem called for the voice vote and members responded in the affirmative.
