Interesting problem that I have never had to deal with before

[BSA1]

I am NOT a believer in carrying a gun.

I AM a believer in carrying ENOUGH gun.

Hospitals commonly have patients with severe mental health issues/disorders and on drugs that cause their body slow to react to physical trauma and pain. Offenders taking multiple hits before becoming incapacitated is very common and well documented.

The two questions that only the O.P. can answer is;

1. How much danger am I willing to put myself in?

2. Can I conceal carry ENOUGH gun to rapidly stop that danger?

Everything about conceal carry is a compromise. The difference between the average citizen and a armed security officer is the S.O. is deliberately entering dangerous situations and confrontations. I can tell you from a lot of hospital and clinic security experience that many, probably most, administrators, doctors and decision makers are against armed security. Security is actually considered more to be a necessary evil. Tread lightly my friend you will be working where the people you are trying to protect do not want you there.

 

[Nomadmax]

Tell them to call you when they're more concerned for officer safety than how something "looks". You made it thru a career in the business, why let someone put you in a bad spot from the jump?

I am about to start a new security job at our local hospital. They just switched companies and have decided to do armed security, thank God, for the first time. They should have had it years ago in my opinion. Here is the catch. Since they are new to this concept and just getting their feet wet, they want concealed carry, but here's the catch. They wear a duty belt with the other stuff on it so your shirt is tucked in but you must conceal the firearm. I want quick access of course but not sure which way to go with this. Anke holster, belly band inside my shirt, pocket carry or some other method.

After retiring from LE, I did an armed security job at a fancy resort here in CO. for several years. There our stuff was concealed under an untucked shirt, so it was no problem. I am told that eventually they will go to opened carry on the duty belt, but not at this time. Looking for suggestions.

 

[ken158]

“A young cop in town was asked to bid on the contract”. There ya go - absolutely no reason to work there as the administration appears to be looking at the budget bottom line with little or no regard for the guys doing the job. I would venture to say there is no written job description of a guard’s expectation and responsibilities and they likely will not have enough guys on a shift for adequate coverage of the property or quick ability to assist others when the SHTF happens. As far as your question - concealed carry while wearing a duty belt makes no sense and verifies that those who have never done the job while making the rules is ludicrous. You are likely looking at what, 8 to 12 hours shifts? Pocket carry is a bad idea, ankle holster is a bad idea, belly band is a terrible idea, etc. In addition, if the facility furnishes the weapon it will likely be low bid which means it will be a striker fired weapon given to employees of little or no training. Ugh. There are way too many AD’s with jail and court personnel to even think about that fiasco. Hate to be so negative but I would recommend a hard pass on the job.

 

[Old cop]

I don’t see any option but a good pocket holster w/your choice of weapon. Our city hospital hired off duty police to work the ER, but in full uniform gun and all. I worked it for several years to earn extra money for the family but the weekends could be a handful. Lots of patients feeling their beer muscles wound up wearing my handcuffs.

 

[jake1945]

Our hospital has armed security people. The guy in charge looks like and acts like Barney Fife! He wears full black combat unifron with boots and all the gear imaginable hanging on his duty belt. Spends most of his time chatting with the nurses.

 

[cd228]

I'd try a vest holster. I'm assuming you are going to be wearing a vest. Desantis makes a model that will fit your j-frame called the NYC Vest Holster. As mentioned above, you would want to replace some shirt buttons with velcro or snaps.

 

[Nomadmax]

Get some other kind of job, the one you've described has far too much risk. Moreover, their "soft visual" policy tells you right where you'd be if you were lucky, and I do mean lucky, enough to survive a deadly encounter. Going back to work for the extra money? There won't be ANY money when that employer moonwalks away from you when the legal stuff starts happening, even though you were 100% right.

Get a job moving patients in wheelchairs, even if it's less money. But mercy, don't put on a "shoot me first" suit and not have the correct tools at hand to save your own life as well as others.

 

[jack the toad]

Not stating as advice, but more as my opinion based on a career in LE (now retired). The world is not the same place it was in '92 when I started. Therefore, I would not put myself in an unarmed uniformed security element, especially in a metro area hospital. I'm not aware where your post will be but unless really needing/wanting a job, I'd find greener pastures.
Hopefully they'll wake up and go armed sooner than later. Good luck to you.

 

[Muss Muggins]

In the immortal words of Jimmy Malone:

“You, you carry a badge?”

“Yes?”

(tosses Winchester 97) “Carry a gun . . . “

 

[BC38]

Another vote for pocket carry. A P365 or one of it's competitors will fit in a pants pocket with a thin minimalist holster that covers the trigger.
FWIW, it works a lot better for me with pleated slacks. The extra material drapes more loosely and allows for better concealment.
Cargo pants work too - but carry your gun in your regular "slash" pants pocket, NOT the cargo pocket. The extra material of the cargo pocket overlaying on top of the regular pocket just helps disguise and break up the outline of the gun so it doesn't print so much.

One of these might work to tuck a compact gun under your arm beneath a really oversized shirt - if you have the right build.

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Concealment-Accmor-Universal-Concealed-Waistband/dp/B08D766619/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=vest+holster&qid=1674542408&sr=8-2[/ame]

 

[Rpg]

I confess that I’ve never worked security anywhere including in a hospital.

That said, I primarily carry a Colt Commander at 4 o’clock in a DelFatti IWB holster when I’m in town. I routinely wear a sports jacket or a cardigan sweater. Concealing the 1911 is pretty easy. It’s immediately accessible and very quick to present. You need to practice sweeping your jacket aside as you reach for your gun.

I’m not sure I’m properly understanding OP’s uniform, but I believe it includes a jacket. Get a jacket a size larger than you would normally buy so you have sufficient extra material for the jacket so it reaches below your waist to cover the belt (and therefore cover the exposed part of the gun). Get an IWB holster for your handgun and give it a try.

 

[mtgianni]

No idea what the OP decided 3 months ago but I would go with pocket carry and a very visible magazine pouch as a deterrent.

 

[oysterer]

grab a lab coat

 

[growr]

Seems like having your hands tied behind your back.....would pass on the job.

Randy

 

[oysterer]

minimal close to no pay and then afterwards you take all the blame, lawsuits etc, not worth it in CO

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

Don't know how things shaked out but a holster for uniformed wear that would be very discreet is the rectangular Sneaky Pete in black. It would look just like another piece of uniform belt gear but not showing as a gun holster. Magnetic flap, easy draw.

Down side is it's made for a very small off duty gun. But for up close and very personal work that's all you need.

I have one in a brown leather type material. I've walked through a crowded restaurant with it on and no one had a clue. Just another fancy phone/I-pad type thing.

 

[oink]

For several years, when we were issued uniform shirts with Velcro/cosmetic button closures, I carried a 669 in a shoulder holster under my uniform shirt. It fit nicely into the hollow under my left shoulder left by the older lower cut Kevlar vest. One of the newer higher capacity micro 9s should carry there easily, without a vest, as they're much thinner
and more compact than the 669.

 

[BE Mike]

It is never a good idea to have administrators make decisions in areas where they are totally ignorant. This includes school administrators. I'd walk away.