The Southeast Louisiana VA has a team of defenders specially trained to protect Veterans and employees at the medical center and community-based outpatient clinics 24/7.
“We are the best and most capable police service in the Southcentral VA Health Care Network,” said Chief Connie Washington. “We have top-notch equipment and we participate in ever-evolving training. We are prepared to respond to any threat out there.”
Police Services performs a wide range of duties from access keys to anti-terrorism. While their duties include security, that’s only part of what they do.
“We are a federal law enforcement agency,” said Sgt. James McGinty. “Our standard of training is a lot higher than security companies or in-house security at other medical facilities.”
Police Services works well as a team because many of its members are military Veterans.
Good camaraderie where we treat this like the military
“Most of us served in either Iraq or Afghanistan, so we have that rapport with each other that we had in the military,” said Ray Whitman, police captain. “It gives us good camaraderie up front, where we treat this a little bit like the military. We ourselves are a family and try to take care of each other the best we can. We have each other’s back. If anything happens we can support each other both here on station and personally at home.”
The officers also make it a point to maintain rapport with other employees.
“When we walk around the facility, we talk to many people in other services so that we can be familiar with them,” Whitman explained. “Many of them know us by name. Sometimes they’ll ask us questions or just have a conversation with us. By doing that, we’re promoting teamwork among everyone.”
With such a wide range of responsibilities, the officers must remain proficient in performing a variety of tasks to accomplish their work. Training is the key to maintaining readiness to respond to any situation.
“We train more than other law enforcement agencies that are out there,” McGinty said. “That includes ground defense training, gang and drug detection, de-escalation, online training, and training that is mandated from our law enforce training center every month.”
Close relationship with other agencies
Police Services officers are also equipped with body cameras, enabling them to live stream to a command post. That enhances situational awareness for a team responding to a situation.
Police Services also maintain a close relationship with other agencies, such as the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, State Patrol and local police departments. It’s not uncommon for Police Services to provide support from outside law enforcement agencies who request it and vice versa.
As the dedicated staff continues its mission of providing the best care possible for Veterans, they can be sure Police Services is accomplishing its mission of protecting them and all Veterans at the medical center and clinics.
Topics in this story
More Stories
National Nutrition Month’s theme is “Food Connects Us,” reminding us the foods we enjoy are connected to family and social connections.
Pacific Islands VA has several programs aimed to keep Veterans fit. One of those programs is GeroFit.
After battling heart failure and a stroke, one Veteran received a heart transplant at the Michael E. DeBakey VA.
Joshua Fister was directly involved in the retaliatory targeting of an officer, pushing for baseless criminal charges that were later dismissed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. His actions exemplify an abuse of authority, violating due process and undermining the integrity of the Phoenix VA Police Department. Fister’s name belongs on the Giglio/Brady List, given his history of racial and sexual harassment, which further highlights a pattern of misconduct and unaccountability. Leadership that prioritizes retaliation over justice erodes trust in law enforcement and must be held accountable.
A far cry back from at the old place; a ramshackle of cobbled spaces spread around the city. May 24th, 2013 in the lobby of the so-called VA “Hospital”, I collapsed on the floor. The VA Police stationed there, thought I was just some drug seeking addict off the street (I had been there for an appointment earlier and was coming back to get my car from the garage). By the time the EMTs were called (no so unit available at said “hospital”) , they found me lifeless on the floor with no heart beat and not breathing. They were able to revive me, then I immediately crashed again. They were finally able to get me revived and stabilized for transport to the local teaching hospital – Tulane, where I would spend the next 17 hours in the ER. No one notified my Family. All of this transpired in the direct purview/jurisdiction of the VA Police, yet NO REPORT WAS EVER FILED!!! When I requested to have one filed, they flat-out refused to speak with me!
Could it be a result of the undocumented experimental drug that some Pharma Quack masquerading as a Doctor prescribed this wait-listed Veteran with severe chronic nerve injury/muscle impairment Service Injury, living in 24/7 agonizing pain, that the VA Police FAILED to uphold their Oaths of Service? Well, nice to see that they got those nice little scooters to tool around on at their fancy new place. Quicker to run away from those “drug seeking vagrants”…err, I mean…Veterans.
Most of the VA Police Officers I have talked to have worked for civilian law enforcement agencies or were MPs prior to going to the VA. I honestly believe they are here to help us and they treat us like family.
Now see, they get to pick and choose what comments they want posted, just more coverups by the VA!!! Who moderates these comments???
I feel ya. I have DEFINITELY been at the pointed end of a VA Coverup. I still have the Hospital ER treatment record that the VA refuses to inject into my medical record. Patient Advocate still claiming that the VA has to by Law. Laws don’t work in a lawless society.
Just means the VA Police have another way to intimatate us Veterans as we have no recourse to complain about their undue authority!!!