Workplace ViolenceA Call To Action!

Citizen & Neighborhood Resources Department

Scottsdale, Arizona

Overview

Two examples

The impact

Risk factors

Threats

Dealing with difficult people

Prevention strategies (CPTED)

Vicarious liability

The “Wake-Up Call”

City of Phoenix Human Resources Department, June 11, 1992

Changed the way 9-1-1 calls are taken:

1. Dialing 9 to get an outside line

2. Stay where you are, help is on the way!

3. Caller ID when a business moves

Lessons Learned in 1999

Los Angeles Jewish Community Center Shooting on August 10, 1999

Suspect: Buford O’Neal Furrow, Jr.

Victims: 3 children, one teenager, 68 year old woman & a Mail Carrier1. Scouted out sites prior

2. Picked LA JCC due to easy access & visible targets (children)

The Impact

444 Homicides in the USA in 2008 - down from 900 in 1995 (source: Reuters 10/05/09)Most victims are store clerks and taxi cab drivers (source: Reuters 10/05/09)Crime victimization costs employers 1,751,100 days off work per year or 3.5 days per victimizationEmployees missing work (not paid vacation or sick time) cost them $55 million in lost wages

Definition

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE is any physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting

Another Definition

A WORKPLACE may be any location either permanent or temporary where an employee performs any work-related duty. This includes, but is not limited to: Buildings and the surrounding perimeters Parking lots Field locations Clients’ homes Traveling to and from work assignments

Interesting Facts

Most likely to be attacked on the job:

Least likely to be attacked on the job:

Police Officers

College Professors

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

Risk Factors

Contact with the publicExchange of moneyDelivery of passengers, goods or servicesMobile workplace (taxi, police car)Working with unstable people (healthcare, social service, criminal justice)

Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

More Risk Factors

Working alone or in small numbers

Working late at night or early in the morning

Working in high-crime areas

Guarding valuable propertyWorking in community-based settings

Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

What is a Threat?

According to Arizona Revised Statutes: an individual must say something threatening and have the ability to carry it out immediately.

“If I come up there, you’ll be sorry”

“If you do that again, I’m going to punch you”

NO!

YES!

Dealing with Difficult People In Person

Clues: red face, sweating, shaking, wearing clothing to conceal weapons (raincoat in the summer)Response: get on same level • Code words

Stand • Second person

Stay calm • Call 9-1-1

Safe Room

Have a room set aside that everyone knows to go in an emergencyThe room should have a phone and a lockCheck to see if you have to dial “9” to call 9-1-1 (old phone systems)Does the room have a secondary escape?

Dealing With Difficult People On the Phone

Write exactly what was saidIf there is a pattern, use a recording deviceMake sure it’s a threatReport it immediately

Prevention Strategies

Less cash or cashless transactions

Visibility and lighting

Code words, trouble lights

GPS tracking devices for field work

Training employees and supervisors

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

CPTED

Five Principals:Territoriality

Define the territory as YOURSCan be done with fences,

barriersShows pride of ownershipCan prevent trespassing

CPTED

Five Principals:TerritorialityNatural Surveillance

Being able to see your property while doing normal business

Landscaping visibility is keyCriminals don’t want to be

observed

Natural Surveillance Example:

Fro

nt

Cou

nter

Convenience Store Design in the 1980’s

Natural Surveillance Example:

Front Counter

Convenience Store Design Today

CPTED

Five Principals:TerritorialityNatural SurveillanceActivity Support

Place activities to observePlayground near cluster mailboxRisk increases for criminal

CPTED

Five Principals:TerritorialityNatural SurveillanceActivity SupportAccess Control

Limit the entrances/exitsAdd barriers (gates/fences)

Chantilly Castle, France

CPTED

Five Principals:TerritorialityNatural SurveillanceActivity SupportAccess ControlMaintenance

Regular and consistent

CPTED In Your Office

Where do you sit in your office?

Where do visitors sit in your office?

What is on your desk?

CPTED At the Front Counter

Is there a barrier?

Do you have CCTV?

Can the front desk get help quickly?

What’s the code word?

Concealed panic button?

Visible “in & out” board?

If customer refuses to leave?

Working Late

Walking to your car alonePolicies for two people to go to night meetingsCompany policies on personal safety devices? Mace, pepper spray, sirens, stun

devices, cell phones, guns

Purse and brief case while driving

Vicarious Liability

If you’ve been notified of a potential threat and take no action, you can be held liable for the events that occur from your inaction

The James Snedigar example from Chandler Police

The Court’s Test

1. Does the company have policies in place?2. Has a high level person with the company been

assigned to ensure compliance?3. Is the company doing all it can to prevent someone in

authority who has done criminal activity?4. Has the company communicated its standards to

employees?5. Has the company taken reasonable steps to get

compliance?6. Standards enforced consistently?7. After an occurrence, did the company take all possible

steps to prevent a re-occurrence?

What Now?

Set up office policy and practicesTrain your employees!Ask the police department for a security survey utilizing CPTED principlesMake the recommendations a realityEmployee training: personal safety, emergency procedures

Summary

Two examples

The impact

Risk factors

Threats

Dealing with difficult people

Prevention strategies (CPTED)

Vicarious liability

Questions?

Scottsdale Police Department 480-312-5000 or www.scottsdalepd.com