Assisting Employers in Planning and Prevention

Law enforcement and security officers should be involved in all stages of the planning process in an effective workplace violence prevention program. They can play an active role in prevention, intervention, and response to threatening situations, in addition to their training role of responding to actual incidents of physical violence.

• Provide employers with information concerning law enforcement resources.

• Provide employers with guidelines and examples of when to contact the agency in matters involving the impact of domestic violence on the workplace.

• Assist employers in their efforts to improve their physical security and prevention of acts of violence on site.

Law enforcement agencies can help in the planning of security measures:

• Identify types of situations they can address and when and how they should be notified of an incident.

• Indicate whether their officers have arrest authority.

• Identify their jurisdictional restrictions and alternative law enforcement agencies that may be able to provide assistance.

• Identify threat assessment professionals who can assist the employer in its efforts to protect threatened employees.

• Advice on what evidence is necessary and how it can be collected or recorded, so that law enforcement can assess the information and decide what action to take, if appropriate.

• Explain anti-stalking laws applicable in the employer’s jurisdiction and how and when to obtain protective orders.

• Arrange for supervisor/employee briefings or trainings on specific workplace violence issues such as:

• Personal safety and security measures.
• Types of incidents to report to law enforcement/security.
• Types of measures law enforcement/security may take to protect employees during a violent incident, e.g., explanations of what it means to “secure the area,” “secure the perimeter,” and “preserve evidence”;
• Suggestions on how to react to an armed attacker.
• Suspicious packages.
• Bomb threats.
• Hostage situations.
• Telephone harassment and threats.

Law enforcement agencies should encourage preventive measures:

• Have employers keep law enforcement informed of potential problems and be prepared with information that will aid responding officers.

• Recommend that employers, in consultation with their local law enforcement agency, design policies and procedures for handling threats or assaults made against or by their employees.

• Encourage and cooperate with business and community organizations to compile, regularly update, and distribute a list of community resources, such as law enforcement and crime prevention services; mental health services; and shelters, for use by their members and employees.

• Encourage employers to adopt a zero tolerance policy for violent behavior or threats among their employees. Make the policy part of their new employee orientation sessions, and enforce it.

• Encourage employers to obtain a thorough work history from all prospective employees, and inquire about periods of unexplained employment; conduct as thorough background and work-related reference checks as possible, including checking court records and other repositories; and thoroughly interview job candidates before offering them a position.

• Encourage employers to train their employees in conflict resolution techniques.

• Recommend that employers offer employee training in personal security awareness to avoid being victimized.

(Source IACP2)

Also see Sample Workplace Violence Assessment.