That is why you contact the hospital administration, as I said. You contact the bigwigs, work out a deal to test the staff’s awareness without informing the staff beforehand, or, if the admins don’t like the idea, you either try another hospital or don’t do your story at all. And if something goes horribly wrong and you get arrested, at least someone in a position of authority at the hospital knew what you were doing there and can back up your claims before it gets all out of hand.
And unless the administration are total morons, they will inform their security staff or make some changes to ensure the report turns out the way they want it to. If you warn them, you cannot know for sure that you’re seeing what the place is really like on a normal day.
I was a newspaper reporter and editor for 20 years, and this is, hands down, the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of. Since it was a TV “news” operation, though, I guess I’m not that surprised.
The only thing worse than the idea to “test security” was security’s response. It took them 20 minutes to respond!? You guys call that “doing their job!?” Holy crap, I think I’d be firing the head of security. The reporter should have been wearing stainless steel jewelry and kissing linoleum five steps inside the door, for heaven’s sake!
But that’s just me.
Sure, feel free to look up what the Texas penal code has to say about the use of deadly force. For the most part, I find it to be rather reasonable, but for the life of me I couldn’t find “needing killin’” to be among the justifications.
Marc
She was in Northwest Hospital, asked to leave, then 20 minutes later was spotted in Baptist St Anthony hospital and then was arrested. 2 different hospitals, 2 different security forces.
“Ladies and gennelmen of the jury, I’ve seen a man thet needed killin’, but I’ve never seen a baby what needed stealin’!”