Cooper University Health Care is an academic health system, including two hospitals, ambulatory offices, surgery centers, and urgent care centers across southern New Jersey. Our mission statement is “To serve, to heal, to educate.”
Cooper is focused on treating all patients with respect as well as advanced and necessary medical care. In meeting its mission, Cooper complies with all federal and state laws and regulations while ensuring the safety of patients, team members, and visitors.
Across the United States, there has been considerable focus in recent months on immigration matters. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency that is tasked with enforcing our nation’s immigration laws. One section of ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), focuses on undocumented immigrants.
The following guidance provides Cooper team members an overview of the health system’s existing policies concerning interactions with all law enforcement officers. This guidance is aimed to protect our patients and our team members.
Guidance:
- If you are approached by any law enforcement officer, please be respectful and polite. A combative approach never results in a good outcome.
- Notify your supervisor and/or manager immediately.
- The supervisor and/or manager should invite the agent/officer into a conference room or office so as not to interfere with normal operations.
- Request identification from the law enforcement officer (usually a badge and credentials) and please record the agent’s name, title, agency, and telephone number.
- Ask the agent or officer why he or she is at Cooper. If the agent has a warrant or subpoena, ask for a copy.
- Respectfully indicate that you do not have authority to answer questions on behalf of Cooper, to provide any documents, or to grant access to any private spaces without authorization. Only Cooper’s Legal Department may authorize access to information or private spaces.
- Contact Risk Management at 342.2112. Send a copy of any document (e.g. warrant or subpoena) via email to risk-management@cooperhealth.edu. Risk Management will contact the administrator on duty (AOD) through the hospital operator or AMION and Cooper’s Chief Legal Officer, John Vazquez. If you are unable to reach Risk Management or the administrator on duty, you may also email the Chief Legal Officer at vazquez-john@cooperhealth.edu.
- Provide for the comfort and safety of other patients, team members, and visitors and attempt to calm and reassure others that the situation is being managed.
- If the agent refuses to wait for the AOD, Risk Management, or the CLO to respond, do not obstruct the agent. Remain professional. Accompany the agent and take notes on what they do and make copies of any documents the agents or officers take. Request that the agents or officers not leave until the AOD, CLO, or Risk Management arrive or respond.
Important Notes:
- If the agent or officer has a valid arrest warrant, the attending physician must first authorize the discharge of the patient before the patient is taken into custody. The standard of care of the treatment of the patient should not be altered because of the presence or request of law enforcement.
- Patient information is confidential and protected by law. Do not share patient information with anyone except the patient’s designated representatives. A patient’s presence in the hospital or for a medical appointment at any Cooper facility is protected health information.
- Public spaces at Cooper are locations in which the public is permitted, including but not limited to lobbies, hallways between the entrance and the lobby, waiting rooms, and the Starbucks café. Law enforcement agents or officers are permitted in public spaces like any other visitor.
- A private space is any location that is closed to the public or restricted to a limited class of persons, including but not limited to, patient care areas, examination rooms and staff offices. Areas where a badge is required are private spaces.
- Law enforcement agents or officers are not permitted in private spaces without a warrant or consent of an authorized person.
- The Sheriff’s officers, who are contracted to provide services at Cooper, may still enter private spaces as requested by team members.
We will send additional guidance, as necessary.