Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade has ordered round-the-clock armed police at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) following the shooting of a police officer at the facility early Saturday.
Police allege that armed robbery suspect Reginald Chase, 25, shot and critically injured the officer before terrorizing staff at the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) and escaping.
Chase, a resident of Nassau Village, was caught 15 hours later on Bimini Avenue.
"I want to acknowledge that there were concerns expressed at PMH brought to our attention by the hospital administration," Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Bethell said.
"As a result of these concerns and as a result of the shooting of one of our officers, the commissioner of police has given directives to enhance the security at PMH.
"As of this moment, we have placed two armed police officers to provide security at PMH. They will work hand in hand with the present security system now in place at the hospital."
Bethell said police will further upgrade the security arrangement to extend to all other areas of the hospital and explained that police and members of the Public Hospitals Authority were in discussions over what would be an adequate number of officers to guard the hospital.
He pointed out that for now, officers are guarding the Accident and Emergency Department where the incident occurred.
"The employees can be assured that these officers will be in place to look out for their security," Bethell said.
President of the Bahamas Doctors Union Dr. Philip Sealy said after the shooting, security is a major concern for the staff at PMH.
"The major concerns we had were in respect to the security and I think a lot of it is being addressed immediately," he told The Nassau Guardian after a press conference on Saturday.
After the ordeal, Sealy admitted that those doctors on call at the time "are a little hesitant to return to work". However, he said the union would like to see how security at the hospital evolves.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian