Two Security Guards Arrested for Obstructing Police
Early Monday morning, two security guards were taken into custody on suspicion of blocking a police officer from entering a psychiatric ward at a Brooklyn hospital, where the officer needed assistance, according to law enforcement officials.
At approximately 4:50 a.m., an NYPD officer overseeing an inmate at Kings County Hospital Center reached out for help to a colleague. Unfortunately, when backup arrived, one of the security guards, Kadeem Alfred, 32, denied them access to the ward.
It seems Alfred, employed by a private security firm, told hospital executives that they couldn’t enter without clearance from his supervisor, Michael Key, 53, officials noted.
Eventually, the police officers were allowed in, and the colleague needing aid was found safe. However, this situation left some hospital staff feeling uneasy. Alfred was arrested, but Key was also detained for trying to interfere with Alfred’s arrest.
Both guards now face charges of obstruction of justice, which can apply to anyone hindering a public official’s duties. They were issued desk summonses to appear in court later on.
Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, is calling for city hospitals to implement changes to ensure officers can receive prompt support when they request it. “When an officer asks for help, there shouldn’t be delays in assistance,” he expressed in a statement. “Hospital personnel must recognize this and make necessary adjustments to avoid future incidents.”
In the wake of this occurrence, the newspaper attempted to reach out to representatives from NYC Health + Hospitals, but they had not provided a comment at that time.
This incident follows closely on the heels of a separate event where an investigative team from the NYPD at NYU Langone/Cobble Hill Hospital was misidentified as federal ICE agents and reportedly faced disrespect.
An NYPD spokesperson mentioned dissatisfaction regarding how the officers were treated and indicated that they would be reviewing the incident. The hospital later communicated that its team had discussions with Commissioner Jessica Tisch, expressing regret about the situation’s handling.
