Bassett Healthcare Network has expanded its K-9 security team to include a fourth dog and handler.
According to a media release, “Hutch,” an 18-month-old German shepherd, began work Oct. 3 with Officer Jeffrey Bever. The team will be stationed at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta full-time in the evenings.
Hutch was added to Bassett’s Security Department following a gift to thes K-9 program from David and Susan Theobald, the release said.
“We are truly grateful to David and Susan for their generosity,” sayid Dr. Tommy Ibrahim, president and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network. “Bassett’s K-9 program is unlike other hospital security initiatives. Our K-9 teams elevate the level of safety and security we provide to caregivers and our patients who entrust us with care.”
Bassett’s security dogs “work at Bassett’s hospital and clinic campuses to help meet the increased security needs healthcare workers face today,” the release said. “K-9 units are often able to quickly defuse tense situations before they escalate simply by entering a room. They are also trained in tracking and other important protection techniques.”
“Healthcare workers are five times more likely to be victims of workplace violence than employees in any other industry,” said AJ Zuk, director of Public Safety and Transportation at Bassett, who helped develop the organization’s K-9 program.
Like Bassett’s other security dogs, Hutch will have his own baseball-style trading card and stuffed animal available for patients and visitors who wish to collect them, the release said.
“Hutch and I are training with the other K-9 units on Bassett’s Security team,” Bever said. “Hutch is quickly learning the ropes and is already demonstrating how well he can handle and de-escalate tense situations. More than anything, these dogs offer a sense of calm and security to everyone around them. Kids love him, too!”
Bever, who is a retired patrol sergeant from the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office, has worked in law enforcement for more than 25 years. He has served as a police officer in Canajoharie and Cobleskill and has extensive experience in corrections, the release said.
In addition to its K-9 team, Bassett’s Security Department consists of more than 60 security officers who staff five hospitals and more than two dozen regional health centers, the release said. They respond to emergencies and are the organization’s liaison with area law enforcement.