What can hospital security do? In Florida, hospital security officers can control who enters, ask people to leave, briefly hold someone for police, and help clinical staff carry out a restraint a physician has ordered. Most are licensed private officers, not police, so they cannot arrest you like police, search you without consent, or turn away someone needing emergency care.

Is hospital security the same as the police?

No. Most hospital security officers in Florida are private officers licensed under Chapter 493: a Class D license for unarmed work and a Class G license to carry a firearm. That license gives them no police powers. Some hospitals also use sworn police officers, who do have arrest powers. If you are unsure, ask the officer whether they are security or police.

Can hospital security detain you?

Only briefly, and only for a real reason. Like any private citizen in Florida, a security officer can hold someone who commits a crime in front of them, such as assaulting staff, until police arrive. They cannot hold you simply for being rude, refusing to answer questions, or wanting to leave. Our guide on whether security guards can detain you in Florida explains the general rules.

Can hospital security stop a patient from leaving?

Usually not. A patient who is there voluntarily can leave, even against medical advice. The exception is a Baker Act involuntary examination. Under section 394.463, a judge, a law enforcement officer, or a professional such as a physician or psychologist can start one, and the person can be held for up to 72 hours for evaluation. Security’s role is to help clinical staff keep that patient safe and on site.

Can hospital security restrain you?

Only as part of clinical care, never as punishment. Federal hospital rules (42 CFR 482.13) allow restraint only to protect the immediate physical safety of the patient or others, on the order of a physician or other licensed practitioner. Restraint may never be used for coercion, discipline, convenience or retaliation. Any security officer who helps apply it must be trained in restraint use, CPR and first aid.

Can hospital security search you or your bag?

Not without your consent. A security officer has no general power to search a person. Many hospitals do screen bags or use metal detectors at entrances, and you can decline. The hospital can then refuse to let you into visitor areas. Emergency care is different, as the next answer explains.

Can hospital security kick you out?

Yes, if you are a visitor. Once someone authorized by the hospital tells you to leave, staying is trespass under Florida law (section 810.08), and security can call police to remove you. They cannot turn away a person who comes to the emergency department for care. The federal EMTALA law (42 U.S.C. 1395dd) requires a medical screening exam for anyone who asks.

Are hospital security guards armed?

Some are, but many are not. Each hospital decides. In Florida an officer needs a Class G license to carry a firearm on duty, and many hospitals keep officers unarmed in patient-care areas. Our guide to armed and unarmed guards in Florida explains the difference.

What happens if you hit hospital security in Florida?

It becomes a felony. Since October 1, 2023, Florida’s HB 825 has covered hospital personnel, including the people who provide a hospital’s security. Battery on them is reclassified from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, and assault rises to a first-degree misdemeanor (section 784.07).

Who provides hospital security in South Florida?

Almond Tree Security Services provides licensed Class D and Class G officers for hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities across Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe County. Every officer completes annual de-escalation training. See our hospital and healthcare security services.

We are the wrong choice if your facility needs officers with police arrest powers. Our officers are private security. For arrest authority on site, a hospital needs sworn officers.

FAQ

Can hospital security touch you?

Yes, but only with reasonable force: to defend themselves or others, to stop someone from getting hurt, or to escort a person who refuses to leave. Anything more can expose the officer and the hospital to a battery claim.

Can hospital security use handcuffs?

Only while lawfully holding someone who committed a crime in front of them, if hospital policy allows it, until police arrive. Handcuffs are not a medical restraint. Restraining a patient for care follows the physician-ordered process described above.

Can hospital security give you a ticket?

No. Private security officers cannot issue citations or fines. They can give a trespass warning, write an incident report and call police, who can issue a citation or make an arrest.

What should you do if hospital security detains you?

Stay calm, ask why you are being held, and ask for police or the hospital’s patient advocate. Afterward, write down names and times and file a complaint with the hospital’s patient relations office.