Rochester Regional Health has graduated its first class of peace officers, marking the launch of a new program designed to strengthen security and emergency response across the health system.
The inaugural class included 18 team members who completed specialized training before being formally recognized during a graduation ceremony at Rochester General Hospital. The program was created following New York legislation allowing trained Rochester Regional Health employees to serve as peace officers while on or adjacent to system properties.
Health system leaders said the initiative is part of broader efforts to improve workplace safety and support staff, patients and visitors amid growing concerns about violence and security challenges in healthcare settings.
“Safety is not one program or one role,” Jennifer Eslinger, president of health care operations and chief operating officer for Rochester Regional Health, said in a statement. “It is how we show up for each other every day.”
Tammy Snyder, the system’s senior vice president of operations, said employees have increasingly raised concerns about safety and preparedness while at work.
“Our teams have been asking important questions about safety, and they deserve to feel supported when they come to work each day,” Snyder said.
According to Rochester Regional Health, the peace officer designation allows trained personnel to coordinate more directly with local law enforcement and improve response capabilities during incidents occurring on health system property. The program also builds on existing security measures, including de-escalation training, behavioral risk identification, access control and coordinated response protocols.
Several local and state officials praised the program during the ceremony, including Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Assemblymember Harry Bronson.
Capt. Frank Umbrino of the Rochester Police Department said healthcare environments require professionals trained to de-escalate tense situations rather than intensify them.
“It takes professionalism, judgment, and restraint to de-escalate one,” Umbrino said. “In a healthcare setting, those qualities matter every day.”
Rochester Regional Health operates nine hospitals and serves communities across western New York, the Finger Lakes and St. Lawrence County.
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