Published on December 15, 2023
As Phelps Health’s new chief public safety officer, Keith Ruffin, Sr. has a full agenda. But first things first.
“I start my day with Colombian coffee,” said Officer Ruffin, who believes the Keurig is among the greatest inventions. “I have two cups and try to make sure that I’m spacing them out so that I can actually take my time and enjoy them.”
Officer Ruffin, who is originally from Trenton, New Jersey, assumed his new position in July 2023.
“I joined the military back in 1995, and I’ve lived all around the world,” said Officer Ruffin, who currently resides in Waynesville. “I recently retired from Fort Leonard Wood. My family and I absolutely love this area, so we decided to stay.”
Officer Ruffin brings with him a wealth of relevant experience.
“I have an Associate of Science degree in criminal justice,” he said. “I first worked as a military policeman, where I worked undercover as part of the Drug Suppression Team. From there, I moved to Military Police Investigations, specializing in domestic violence.
“I have over 25 years of experience in law enforcement. After the military, I worked as a police officer in Baltimore [,Maryland]. I was in a very high-paced, violent area, and I learned a lot. From Baltimore, I rejoined the military and served three tours of duty in Iraq. In between these deployments, I worked as a liaison for 1 year in Kuwait at the US Embassy.
“I ended my military career as a physical security instructor. I would go around to different bases and point out areas where they were vulnerable [to threats], which is something that I bring to Phelps Health,” he said. “On a daily basis, I look for ways that we can improve safety on our campuses.”
Officer Ruffin described a typical day in his life as the health system’s chief public safety officer.
“My day usually begins with answering emails because we have a service to provide for every department within Phelps Health,” Officer Ruffin said. “Public Safety has a large footprint in the organization, as we are responsible for the safety of every department in the Hospital and also our outlying properties.
“Then I will review reports to make sure they’re complete,” he said. “From there, I will do my rounds on campus, making sure to touch base with directors. I’ll ask them if there is any service that we can provide, or if there is anything that we need to improve upon. I also look at the cameras to ensure they are all in working order.”
Rounding is especially important as it gives Officer Ruffin and his staff the opportunity to build relationships with employees in the healthcare organization.
“We want Phelps Health employees to know who we are,” he added. “If we’ve already established a good rapport, they’ll be more likely to reach out and talk, if they should need us.”
The Phelps Health Public Safety team currently has nine full-time officers, including Officer Ruffin. The team also employs two part-time officers and has about 12 to 15 irregular part-time officers (police officers who fill in when needed).
On a daily basis, this team trains on some aspect of security, from using security wands to properly applying restraints to firearm retention and more.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, violence against healthcare workers has become an all-too common reality.
“The numbers [on healthcare violence] are trending upward,” Officer Ruffin said. “When it comes to outside threats, we no longer train for if, we train for when.
“In light of this, we are currently overhauling our camera system. I work hand-in-hand with Emergency Management to make sure we are covering our exits and that we are training on and practicing lockdown procedures. We also focus on patient de-escalation, keeping in mind that most patients [who are seeking or receiving medical care] are not having their best day.”
Even when Officer Ruffin isn’t on duty, safety is never far from his mind.
“I do have hobbies, like weightlifting,” said Officer Ruffin, who is always on call. “But I also love practicing different safety techniques, such as room clearing. To be honest, this job is my hobby because it’s not work to me. I really enjoy what I’m doing, and Phelps Health is a great place to work. They provide us with a lot of opportunity to grow here. My wife and my future daughter-in-law also work here. It’s truly a home for us.
“I like that it’s a call to service,” added Officer Ruffin, on the motivation behind his career choice. “I’ve always liked helping people. I know it sounds cliché, but that’s why I’ve spent my career in law enforcement and the military. Some people say that it’s a thankless job, but I was called to law enforcement, and that’s what I love doing.”
Five Safety Tips for Patients and Visitors
1. Lock your vehicle doors when visiting the Hospital or any of its outlying clinics.
2. Do not leave valuables in plain view.
3. If you’re admitted to the Hospital, have a family member secure your valuables.
4. Upon leaving the Hospital or a clinic, make sure all forms of identification are returned to you, in case you need to show staff.
5. Promptly report any safety and security concerns to a staff member.
See Something? Say Something
Public Safety encourages all patients, visitors and employees to report anything that concerns them. Simply find any Phelps Health employee (look for someone wearing a badge). A Public Safety officer can then be dispatched and check out the concern. Even if a suspicion turns out to be nothing, we always want to err on the side of caution.