This mindset led him to seek out a role in healthcare security.

Serving as Director of Protective Services at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Bock is acutely aware of the unique circumstances surrounding healthcare security. While malicious threats are a concern, hospitals must also prepare for the risks associated with medical emergencies. A volatile patient is still a patient and treating them is just as important as keeping everyone safe.

“Healthcare reminds you every single day that security is ultimately about humanity.”

“Healthcare reminds you every single day that security is ultimately about humanity,” Bock says. “The person yelling at you may have just lost a child. The parent refusing to leave may simply be scared. The employee struggling at work may be carrying burdens that no one else sees. Those realities force healthcare security professionals to lead with empathy while still making difficult decisions. We aren't there to control people. We're there to protect people.”

Hospitals, by nature, are fast-moving environments. Communication is essential to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

“I often tell people my job isn't really about managing security. It's about building trust. When employees trust security, they report concerns earlier,” he says. “When leaders trust security, we're invited into strategic conversations before problems develop. When patients and families trust us, they see us as part of the care team instead of someone simply enforcing rules.”

Getting everyone on board with a safety plan can help protect staff without disrupting patient care.

One thing Bock is especially proud of is his connections with other security leaders and the impact he’s able to have on their lives.

“I often tell people my job isn't really about managing security. It's about building trust.”

“Over the years I've received messages from former employees who earned promotions, became leaders themselves, or simply wanted to say ‘thank you’ because something we talked about years earlier helped them through a difficult moment. Those messages mean more to me than any award ever could,” he says.

Bock leaves this advice to other security leaders: “Stay curious. Ask questions. Walk your facilities. Learn from frontline employees. Spend time with departments outside of security. Some of the best security ideas I've ever implemented came from nurses, environmental services staff, engineers, physicians, police officers, or security professionals in completely different industries.”