Paul Sarnese, CHPA, MSE,MAS,CAPM
Owner/Founder
Secured & Prepared Consulting
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us today, Paul. It’s an honor to speak once again with the Past President of IAHSS (International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety) and one of the Top 40 Security Thought Leaders of 2025, as recognized by the Life Safety Alliance | Security & Life Safety Experts for Global Communities.
Since we last spoke, you’ve been very busy supporting organizations by conducting security and workplace violence assessments and providing your clients with tailored playbooks that improve compliance, strengthen safety protocols, and reduce the risk of violence.
Paul Sarnese: Yes, we’ve been quite busy. Unfortunately, workplace violence isn’t going away, particularly in healthcare, where it’s finally receiving the attention, it deserves. In fact, the American Hospital Association reported that in 2023, hospitals and health systems spent an estimated $18.27 billion on violence-related costs. The report also emphasized the importance of adopting a holistic approach to preventing and mitigating violence, which is where we excel.
We always recommend that the first step in reducing security incidents and incidents of violence is to understand the current state of affairs. That means conducting a thorough assessment of the workplace violence prevention program, evaluating the physical environment, the security administration and operations and capturing employees’ and patients’ perceptions of safety.
There have been numerous studies supporting the idea that strong workplace violence prevention programs improve staff engagement and satisfaction and can even lead to better patient outcomes.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: I know you concentrate heavily on healthcare, but you also provide services outside that space. Can you tell me a bit more about the range of services you offer?
Paul Sarnese: Yes, I’ve been fortunate to build a strategic partnership with another security expert, which has allowed me to apply my skills across a variety of environments. In addition to healthcare, we support houses of worship, retail spaces, the hospitality industry, K–12 schools, and higher education institutions.
I’ve partnered with William Marcisz, JD CPP CHPA | LinkedIn, of Security Expert Witness | Strategic Security Management Consulting | Orlando, Florida.
Together we have over 80 years of experience. Bill and I have both led large security departments for complex multi-hospital health systems. We are both expert witnesses and view the security department and the workplace violence prevention program as a vital part of the organizations overall risk management program. Bill is a licensed attorney and that brings a unique skill set to our clients. We pride ourselves on creating partnerships and long-term relationships with our clients to ensure that we support them as they implement solutions recommended in our assessment. Together, we have provided services to several large academic medical centers, universities, multi-site sub-acute care facilities, and many other organizations.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Where are you focusing your efforts in 2026?
Paul Sarnese: Our primary focus is supporting hospitals and healthcare systems in California as they prepare to comply with AB 2975. This law requires hospitals to implement weapon screening processes at main entrances and emergency departments, as well as provide training for staff operating those screening stations.
Right now, hospitals should determine the objects that they want to prevent from entering their facilities and evaluating their physical environments to ensure they can support concealed weapon detection systems without creating operational or compliance challenges. For many organizations, this may require renovations or new construction. Our team can assist with space design, signage and communication strategies, training, and the development of policies and procedures to ensure consistency and standardization across the organization.
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for sharing the compelling video below, underwritten by Convergint Technologies, regarding best practices to mitigate violence in healthcare. Please tell us more.
Paul Sarnese: This video highlights the leading practices to mitigate violence in healthcare. Underwritten by Convergint – A Global Service-Based Systems Integrator, this presentation provides proven approaches to strengthen safety and security across healthcare environments. Watch to learn how thoughtful planning, technology, and policy can work together to reduce risk and support a culture of care and security.
Randall Dennis, Market Leader, Convergint, said,
“Paul is one of the most respected voices in the nation for security leadership and workplace violence prevention.”
SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thanks again for joining us today, Paul, we look forward to more updates from you about your activities during the year. Is there anything else you would like to mention today?
Paul Sarnese: Yes, thank you for the opportunity to provide an update on the services that we offer. We, Secured and Prepared Consulting and Strategic Security Management Consulting, are here to help identify the opportunities for improvement and reduce the risk of violence entering the workplace.
CONNECT WITH PAUL SARNESE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sarnese-chpa-mse-mas-capm-0b234214
