New Hampshire
Should hospital guards carry guns? New Hampshire Hospital an outlier in saying yes.
November’s fatal shootings of an unarmed security officer and former patient inside the state psychiatric hospital could lead to a major policy change that most other hospitals in New Hampshire have considered and rejected: arming security guards.
In interviews, security officers at several hospitals in the state cited concerns that a firearm in a volatile situation could exacerbate, not mitigate, safety risks to patients, visitors, and staff. And they cautioned that a gun in a hospital setting could take away from what should be a welcoming and therapeutic environment.
Even with what they described as an increased prevalence of workplace violence against staff — from verbal abuse and threats to hitting and choking — the security officials expressed a preference for other safety measures, such as stun guns, pepper spray, handcuffs, and ongoing de-escalation training.
John Duval, head of security at Concord Hospital, said the number of “code gray” calls for “aggressive, out-of-control” individuals dropped from 30 in 2017 to five in 2023, in part by increasing security “standbys” in cases where staff anticipate a problem. Officers were unarmed during those 14,870 standbys in 2023, he said.
“For me, that’s an example of, as a precautionary measure, we utilize security to de-escalate,” Duval said.
He said the hospital has at times placed an armed Concord police officer outside the room of a patient who poses a threat.
Catholic Medical Center has adopted a patient code of conduct in hopes of curbing the daily assaults and hostile comments staff are experiencing.
“Security staff assist medical staff in really close proximity to patients,” said John Patti, a retired Manchester police officer who oversees security at the hospital. “To have a firearm that close to patients, I think it’s certainly risky.”
Mental health advocates have voiced similar concerns following the deaths of officer Bradley Haas, whom many patients and families knew by first name, and John Madore, who had been a patient at the New Hampshire Hospital and worked as a peer counselor.
Susan Stearns, executive director of NAMI New Hampshire, also cited a concern that guns in treatment hospitals could retraumatize patients who’ve been involuntarily committed and transported to the hospital by armed police officers, possibly in shackles.
“There is absolute broad consensus that it would be dangerous to both patients and staff to have firearms allowed on patient units,” said Stearns. “In a situation that is volatile, the risk of a firearm being used is really significant. I am really concerned, frankly, that it would be used on a patient.”
The Department of Safety announced the security changes just 11 days after the Nov. 17 shootings, far too quickly, some have said, given that law enforcement was still investigating the incident. It is unclear, though, when the Department of Health and Human Services intends to enact the policy change and arm its security officers with firearms.
When safety officials announced their security recommendations, they said the policy change was “in progress.” Their additional recommendation that the state hospital hire armed private security guards was also in progress, they said.
Jake Leon, spokesman for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, did not provide a timeframe, saying only that the department is at the “beginning” of implementing the recommendations. It is also unclear whether security officers would carry firearms in patient areas, but that appears to be a possibility.
The hospital’s security officers, according to the department’s recommendations, would “carry firearms throughout the hospital to mitigate any threats occurring within the (New Hampshire Hospital).” The new armed private security officers would be stationed at the hospital entrance to screen patients, visitors, and staff, according to the recommendations, but also be used to assist hospital security officers “throughout” the campus.
That concerns Stearns and NAMI New Hampshire families who have visited loved ones at the state hospital.
“They talked about how intimidating it would be to have someone who’s carrying a firearm there at the door . . . and how that would have certainly added to their experience in terms of anxiety and concern,” Stearns said. “And we really want to be careful that we’re not criminalizing people with mental illness.”
Her community saw Hass as part of the hospital therapeutic team, not a security officer, she said. A NAMI New Hampshire volunteer told Stearns how helpful he’d been when she had encountered him at a security checkpoint while visiting her son.
“He talked to her about things that were OK (to bring in) and then made other suggestions of things she might want to bring next time,” Stearns said. “Just, you know, really caring.”
Leon said: “Any changes made to enhance security will be evidence-based and trauma-informed” and balance quality care and safety. The department intends to get input from a diverse group of stakeholders, he said.
Stearns said she has already shared her thoughts.
Those include ensuring private security guards be trained in handling behavioral health crises just as hospital security officers are. Leon said in an email they would. And she’s asked the department to reach out to families and individuals who have personal experiences with behavioral health challenges.
Hospital workers in harm’s way
Fatal attacks in health care settings are rare. Between 2011 and 2018, 156 health care workers were killed at work nationwide, nearly 29 percent of them by a relative or partner, according to themost recent federal Department of Labor data. Fourteen percent of victims were killed by a patient.
Nonfatal violence and hostile words, however, are not rare.
In 2018 alone, the federal Department of Labor recorded 15,230 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among health care workers. The majority of incidents took place in hospitals, particularly psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, according to the federal data.
In describing the security needs of a behavioral health hospital, Leon cited that distinction.
“The New Hampshire Hospital is unique in the population it serves, so it is hard to compare its policies to those of other hospitals,” he said.
Patti had been with the Manchester police for years when he was named director of security at Catholic Medical Center a decade ago. He said he was “shocked” to see the behavior hospital staff were experiencing.
“An extreme outlier would be what happened up at New Hampshire Hospital,” Patti said. “On a regular basis, we have staff who get punched, kicked, bitten, spit on, and verbally abused.”
Terrence O’Hara was no less taken aback when he became director of security and transportation at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover in 2020 after 22 years as a Tucson, Arizona, police officer.
“Once I got into health care and saw it on a daily basis, I was like, ‘Holy smokes,’ ” O’Hara said. “The volatile people that come in the emergency room, whether they’re under the influence of alcohol and drugs, or suffering from a mental health crisis, or a combination of all three, the volatility and violence that you see on a daily basis . . . is certainly stunning.”
The challenge is knowing how to prepare for those incidents and how best to respond.
Security officials said those decisions require detailed data collected over time that tracks not only what, where, how, and when an incident happened but why.
Concord Hospital’s Duval said, for example, a patient who is agitated and acting out due to dementia and one acting out of anger call for different security responses.
Without that information, it’s impossible to meaningfully identify patterns of violence, security vulnerabilities, and opportunities for improvements, security officials said.
While hospitals track that information internally, according to their own procedures, there is no statewide data to understand what is happening across hospitals and how hospitals are responding.
That’s changing.
Patti helped write legislation in 2022 that created a commission to gather statewide data on the prevalence and type of hostile and violent behavior health care workers are experiencing. That commision held its first meeting last month and will report out its findings, said Duval, the vice chairperson.
Balancing accessibility and security
In a national poll last year, the American College of Emergency Physicians asked emergency department physicians to rank options for improving security in their hospitals. Communicating and enforcing security plans and increasing security measures such as cameras, visitor screening, and visibility of security officers topped the list.
Arming officers was not a suggested option, and doing so is rare in New Hampshire.
At the state hospital, an armed state trooper assigned to campus shot and killed Madore after he killed Haas. Tyler Dumont, spokesman for the New Hampshire Department of Safety, said state police have had troopers on the hospital grounds since 2022, due to a shortage of hospital security officers.
Elliot Hospital in Manchester has an armed Manchester police officer in its emergency room at all times, but that is unusual.
“At the Elliot, we have a robust security team that is supported by a partnership with the Manchester Police Department,” said hospital spokeswoman Dawn Fernald. “As an organization that is open for care 24/7, we need to balance our ability to be accessible and available to care for patients’ needs at all hours with our ability to offer a secure environment for our patients.”
At Wentworth-Douglass, O’Hara may assign two unarmed security officers to monitor a patient who clinical staff anticipate may be dangerous. Doing so can discourage violent behavior and, if a patient does act out, contain the threats with an immediate response.
In 2022, the hospital adopted a patient code of conduct that warns patients there will be consequences for physical and verbal threats; assaults; sexual and vulgar words; and disrupting another patient’s care.
O’Hara said patients get a warning and a hardcopy of the policy after a first offense. Depending on the circumstances, they may be discharged after subsequent offenses, he said. Catholic Medical Center has similar warnings throughout its building.
“Just because they’re in these four walls of the hospital, it doesn’t mean that they can act whatever way they want to. They are still expected to behave in a certain way, with civility and respect,” Patti said.
Concord Hospital rewrote its security policy in 2022 and focuses on awareness and readiness and teaches staff techniques on how to respond to hostile words and threats.
“The more that employees are individually empowered to react, I think that’s the most powerful strategy,” Duval said. “The cameras, access control, all those are great tools and we have our share of them here, but even those resources are limited. When you empower each employee to be ready as an individual and with a variety of choices, to me that’s the strength of how to respond to workplace violence in conjunction with the other things that are certainly valuable.”
New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Hampshire Bulletin maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Dana Wormald for questions: info@newhampshirebulletin.com. Follow New Hampshire Bulletin on Facebook and Twitter.
InDepthNH.org scans the websites of New Hampshire funeral homes each week and selects at random some of our friends, relatives and neighbors to feature in this column. The people listed here passed away during the previous weeks and have some public or charitable connection to their community. InDepthNH.org is now offering obituaries through the Legacy.com service. We view this as part of our public service mission. Click here or on the Obituaries tab at the top of our home page to learn more. And if you know of someone from New Hampshire who should be featured in this column, please send your suggestions to NancyWestNews@gmail.com.
Mary M. Blaisdell, 84, of Concord, died May 10, 2026. She was a lifetime achievement honoree of the East Concord Lamplighters, a member of the Concord School Board, and organized Concord High School Class of 1960 reunions as class treasurer. (Bennett Funeral Home)
Dorothy (Meade) Campbell, 84, of Grafton, died May 7, 2026. She had been a teacher and principal at Indian River and had served as selectman and treasurer for the Town of Grafton. (Chadwick Funeral & Cremation Service)
Socrates James Chaloge, 90, of Manchester, died May 7, 2026. He owned Leslie Studio, which he once operated with his father, Perry Chaloge. photographing more than 5,000 weddings throughout Manchester, in addition to countless portraits, schools, and pageants. His original oil photography portraits may still be viewed at the Hampton Historical Society, where he was recognized for photographing Miss Hampton Beach during the late 1950s and 1960s. He served in the Air National Guard. He taught photography classes at the YMCA in Brockton, Mass., and founded and was president of the New England Trade Institute (NETI). (Legacy.com)
Norman A. Colburn, 80, of Laconia, died May 8, 2026. He served on the Laconia Fire Department for 21 years, advancing from driver to deputy fire chief. In retirement, he worked in loss prevention for the N.H. Municipal Association. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home)
Charles Henry Cummings Jr., 77, of Greenland, died May 10, 2026. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He worked at Pease Air Force Base in civil engineering positions and later as head of the Reports and Analysis Branch in the 509th Transportation Squadron. In 1991 he transferred to the Industrial Relations Office at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He worked as a labor relations specialist for 12 years and was chief spokesman for management while negotiating the collective bargaining agreement between the shipyard and the American Federation of Government Employees. He served 12 years on the Greenland Budget Committee, three years on the Conservation Committee, two years on the Land Use Advisory Committee and four years as a selectmen, from 2008 to 2011. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home)
David Holmes, 88, of Durham, died May 7, 2026. A U.S. Army veteran, he volunteered with the Peace Corps in 1963 andhelped establish savings and loan banks in Peru. He later become a Peace Corps administrator in the South Pacific islands of Tonga and Samoa. He was a career counselor at Fordham University, St. Lawrence University and UNH. (Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home)
John Linke “Jack” Lewis, 81, of Peterborough, died May 8, 2026. He spent his career with Chemical Bank in New York City, later JP Morgan Chase Bank, retiring in 2001 as senior vice president. He and his family moved to Dublin in 2002, and in 2020 to Peterborough. He was treasurer of the Peterborough Players and the Dublin Riding and Walking Club, and chaired the Dublin Conservation Commission. (Jellison Funeral Home & Cremation Services)
David Linatsas, 74, of Nashua, died May 10, 2026. He started his teaching career in special education in Nashua elementary schools. He then obtaining his doctorate in chiropractic at Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Ga., andopened Nashua Family Chiropractic (known today as Lyphos Family Health). He retired in 2016 when his son, Brandon, took over the business. (Davis Funeral Home)
Robert Marquis, 72, of Stratham, died May 7, 2026. He was a counselor at Amesbury (Mass.) Middle School and then worked at SAU 21 in Hampton as a school psychologist. He was director of pupil services in Deerfield, special education director in SAU 56 in Somersworth, and assistant superintendent in Somersworth. He became superintendent of schools in Milford. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory)
Eric Paul Rochette, 55, of Nashua, died May 12, 2026. He was the owner of Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Nashua. He followed his father Paul into the funeral profession and had been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1991. He purchased the funeral home from his father in 2014, and he and his wife Deanna, became co-owners in 2019. He was a New Hampshire state representative for District 31, Ward 4 from 2005 to 2006 and for District 28, Ward 1 from 2007 to 2008. He served on the New Hampshire State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers from 2015 to 2020. He was a member of the Actorsingers of Nashua. (Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)
Jack Tatirosian,M.D., 94, of Atkinson, died May 9, 2026. He was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and began his medical practice in 1966 in Haverhill, Mass. He was an internist and founding member of Pentucket Medical Associates. He retired in 2000. He was a staff member of Hale Hospital where he was also the chief of medicine for two years. (H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Home)
Scott Evan Trexler, 61, of Moultonborough, died May 8, 2026. He worked at Trexler’s Marina on Lake Winnipesaukee since he was a child. The marina was bought by his parents in 1972, and when his father died in 1980, he became more involved in the business, eventually assuming the role of general manager. (Mayhew Funeral Home)
Ronald P. Voveris, 81, of Nashua, died May 13, 2026. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a social studies teacher at Nashua High School and then Elm Street Junior High School, where he dedicated 34 years. He Ron coached the “Twins” Babe Ruth baseball team for a decade and freshman baseball for Nashua High School. (Farwell Funeral Service)
WORDS OF WISDOM: “Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met – obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty.” — John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, May 29, 1917, to Nov. 22, 1963
Emily (Em) Madeline Peters, 28, passed away on April 29, 2026 in Boston. Em was born on February 27, 1998 in Rochester, NY. Our family moved to Amherst, NH in 1999.
Em attended school in Amherst and graduated from Souhegan High School in 2016. Em enjoyed photography and art where they demonstrated a talent for painting. Em also enjoyed playing the guitar and ukulele. Em was part of the Amherst Congregational Church Youth Group where they participated in mission trips to serve the communities in Tennessee and New York City.
After high school, Em lived and worked in New Hampshire, Cape Cod and the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Em was a devoted friend who dedicated themselves to causes that supported the LGBTQ+ community. Em also was always prepared to help those living with addiction. They carried Narcan with them and used it several times to help someone who had overdosed. They were passionate about equality and fairness in the workplace which led them to take action. Em helped lead workers to organize and form a union at a grocery store where they worked. Em also worked for a non-profit organization providing food, clothing and child care to those that needed help.
Em is survived by their parents, Eileen Marie (Hodges) Peters and David Lester Peters of Amherst, NH; brother Andrew Partrick Peters of Merrimack, NH; sister Katherine MacKenzie Peters of Essex, MA.; and grandfather Gerald L. Hodges, Jr. of Rochester, NY. Em is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins. Em is predeceased by her maternal grandmother Mary “Dolly” (Curley) Hodges and paternal grandparents Eugene Monroe Peters and Gloria Shirley (Thorne) Peters.
Some of our fondest and happiest memories were spent together on family vacations. Whether we were camping, visiting Old Orchard Beach, or exploring national parks, we were happy. Em’s time on this earth was far too short. We loved them dearly and they will always remain in our hearts. We will miss their good-natured teasing and many inside jokes. We will miss their creativity, compassion for others, and their beautiful smile.
Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend calling hours at Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple Street in Wilton, NH on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 2 – 4 pm. A service will be held following calling hours at the funeral home. The arrangements are in the care of the Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple St., Wilton, NH. To view an online obituary or leave a condolence, please visit our web site at www.michaudfuneralhome.com
House Democrats have a nearly perfect record of voting against proposed bans on personal income taxes. On Thursday, they’ll face a different dilemma:
Whether to vote in favor of giving the state the power to impose a progressive income tax.
Rep. Thomas Oppel, D-Canaan, plans to bring an amendment to the floor Thursday “providing that: the legislature may impose progressive-based income taxes, and revenues derived from such taxes be used exclusively to fund public schools in order to offset local property taxes.”
Oppel was part of the “Cut Our Property Taxes!” group organized by former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky to push for the so-called “3-3 Tax Savings Plan” that would institute a 3% income tax for all residents and a $3 tax per $1,000 of equalized property value for all homeowners.
His amendment Thursday goes further, imposing a graduated income tax.
“Any assessments, rates, and taxes imposed on income shall be considered reasonable and proportional if they are imposed at the same rates across the state even though they are imposed and levied progressively; that is, at rates that rise or increase in whole or in part, as the income being taxed increases,” Oppel’s amendment reads.
House rules allow any member to offer an amendment to any legislation, but even if there were procedural barriers, Republicans are happy to have Democrats cast this vote. Democratic leaders like Rep. Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, and Sen. Rebecca Perkins-Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, have publicly rejected an income tax and can’t be happy to have it back in the election-year conversation. Republicans, on the other hand, greeted the news with delight.
“House Democrats just filed an amendment to push for an income tax and hijack the state constitution,” the House GOP posted Tuesday. “House Democrats know Granite Staters overwhelmingly oppose an income tax. They do not care. Our message has not changed: HELL NO to income tax. Not now. Not ever.”
And House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, added, “The Committee to Elect House Republicans would like to make Taxin’ Tom Oppel an honorary board member.”
Income taxes are a tricky issue for Democrats, as Joyce Craig demonstrated in her failed 2024 governor’s race. Democrats like Cinde Warmington insist they oppose a broad-based sales or income tax. However, they’re also promising voters they will lower their property taxes.
Volinsky’s approach is to use an income tax to shift about $1 billion from property taxes to income taxes, lowering the property tax burden.
Warmington has yet to say where she would find the money to lower property taxes without cutting state funding to public schools.
Republicans like Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, head of Granite State Taxpayers, want to tackle high property taxes by controlling spending. They’re pushing a bill to put a local property tax cap on the ballot in every community.
“Our outrageous property tax levels are the result of unchecked spending on schools and, in particular, school administration,” said McGuire. “Well-run states in this regard, like Idaho and Utah, spend half as much per pupil as we do and get similar results.
“Voters in November will get a chance to stem the bleeding if the Senate and House can get together on HB 1300, a school property tax cap bill.”
Polls show more than 70% of Granite Staters oppose an income tax.
This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.
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