Responding to a rising rate of physical and verbal assaults on health care workers locally and nationwide, Sentara has added a weapons detection system to the main entrance of its Williamsburg hospital.

The equipment is part of Sentara’s commitment to install the technology at the entrances of all 12 of its hospitals by early next year. Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, which is located in York County just outside the city, has had detectors at its emergency department entrance since fall 2024.

All visitors, patients and staff at Sentara Williamsburg now must walk between approximately 4-foot-tall pillars equipped with magnetic sensors and artificial intelligence that can spot guns, knives and other concealed weapons.

One or two Sentara security officers, armed with firearms

See Full Page