workplace safety: crime violence prevention

1. Workplace Safety: Crime & Violence Prevention Chief Al Brown Sergeant Steve Quan Njeeri Wa Ngugi – Director of FSCC

2. Workplace Violence Homicide, is the second leading cause of fatal occupation. Nearly 1,000 workers are murdered 1.5 million are assaulted in the workplace each year. occupational injury in the United States. BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) 709 workplace homicides in 1998 12% of the total 6,026 fatal work injuries in the United States.

3. 1 million violent crimes occur annually in the workplace! Of all violent crimes nationwide 1 in 6 occur in the workplace 1 million workers (18,000 per week) are victims of nonfatal workplace assaults each year. Nonfatal workplace assaults result in more than 876,000 lost workdays and $16 million in lost wages. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week.

4. Who is the primary victim and who is the perpetrator? Women are the primary target 40% by strangers 35% by casual acquaintances 19% by well known acquaintances 1% by relatives

6. Issues to cover What is the profile of a potentially violent person? What “red flags” in behavior should everyone notice? What are the triggering events that may cause people to commit violent acts?

7. Knowing what to do...can save lives How can employees de-escalate potential violence? What and whom should be reported to the police? When should incidents be reported?

8. Developing “Safety Awareness” What can employees do? What can the police do? How can employees survive a violent confrontation? What should employees do after a violent confrontation?

9. Effective Observation: How to be a good witness What did you see? What did the person look like? What did the person say? Direction of travel?

10. Communication Trust your instincts Report suspicious circumstances immediately Be a good witness Emergency reporting Rely on feelings of wariness or suspicion, alert others Report threatening phone calls or incidents immediately, the first time Be observant. Write down everything you remember. PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS EMERGENCY REPORTING HANDOUT SUSPECT DESCRIPTION SHEET Be patient when reporting to dispatcher’s questions. Rely on feelings of wariness or suspicion, alert others Report threatening phone calls or incidents immediately, the first time Be observant. Write down everything you remember. PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS EMERGENCY REPORTING HANDOUT SUSPECT DESCRIPTION SHEET Be patient when reporting to dispatcher’s questions.

11. Working as a team Benefits of teamwork in a crisis Developing response strategies Looking out for each other Sharing information Learn about each other’s skills and abilities Police training: Responding as team minimizes dangers & control crisis Gives sense of knowing what others in your team will do to assist Reporting protocol for serious situations Looking out for each other - if someone missing, team begins search During office meetings, discuss office safety and strategies Crime bulletins Roles for each employee to play Who calls police/assistance? Who leads evacuation? Who has first aid expertise? Can intercoms be set up to alert others without provoking intruder? Police training: Responding as team minimizes dangers & control crisis Gives sense of knowing what others in your team will do to assist Reporting protocol for serious situations Looking out for each other - if someone missing, team begins search During office meetings, discuss office safety and strategies Crime bulletins Roles for each employee to play Who calls police/assistance? Who leads evacuation? Who has first aid expertise? Can intercoms be set up to alert others without provoking intruder?

12. Who is authorized to enter the inner office area? Identification method (i.e. visitor badges) Signal others in your area about those without ID. Always escort visitors Establish PROTOCOL for documenting intruders Who is authorized to enter the inner office area? Identification method (i.e. visitor badges) Signal others in your area about those without ID. Always escort visitors Establish PROTOCOL for documenting intruders

13. PERSONAL SAFETY

14. Time - to complete the crime. Opportunity - an open door, valuables accessible. Desire - to steal, assault, frighten, or provoke a reaction of some kind. Know your environment LIMIT TIME - natural barriers...area visible to others in your group maintain a presence in front office LIMIT OPPORTUNITY - keep purses in locked drawer or cabinet keep valuables out of sight & secure make valuables hard to reach LIMIT DESIRE - (Tactical Communication) ways of dealing with hostile individuals PLAN ESCAPE ROUTES for leaving quickly (fire, flood, quake, crime)Time - to complete the crime. Opportunity - an open door, valuables accessible. Desire - to steal, assault, frighten, or provoke a reaction of some kind. Know your environment LIMIT TIME - natural barriers...area visible to others in your group maintain a presence in front office LIMIT OPPORTUNITY - keep purses in locked drawer or cabinet keep valuables out of sight & secure make valuables hard to reach LIMIT DESIRE - (Tactical Communication) ways of dealing with hostile individuals PLAN ESCAPE ROUTES for leaving quickly (fire, flood, quake, crime)

15. Personal Awareness Be aware of your environment - “Know what is happening around you” Look for suspicious people Watch their hands Maintain eye contact

16. Suspicious Activity If it looks suspicious, then it probably is. Report it to the Police Homeless persons - can they legally be on campus? Do not respond

17. Be proactive

18. “Tactical Communication” What’s the best way? Tactical communication is a way of communication that is based on the actor is dealing from a position of authority there are rules to follow there is a final goal and a process to get to it creates a win/win situation for all involved It is easy to justify your actionsTactical communication is a way of communication that is based on the actor is dealing from a position of authority there are rules to follow there is a final goal and a process to get to it creates a win/win situation for all involved It is easy to justify your actions

19. Words and behaviors can trigger violent reactions what triggers are you pulling with your... Words verbal symbols of meaning Attitude state of mind Demeanor conduct Voice vocal expression (tone, pitch, modulation, pace) Other non-verbal 1. Content (what you say) 7% - 10% of influence over people 2. ONV - 50% - 40% of influence over people 3. Voice - 33% - 40% of influence over people is in the voice. tone - reveals the attitude and causes more violence than all others It you can manipulate your tone, you can reduce hostility Modulation - inflection - how you put things (I never said you stole the money) Pace - slow or fast changes. Slow - making a decision. Fast - exited. Pitch - loudness It’s not what you said, it was how you said it.1. Content (what you say) 7% - 10% of influence over people 2. ONV - 50% - 40% of influence over people 3. Voice - 33% - 40% of influence over people is in the voice. tone - reveals the attitude and causes more violence than all others It you can manipulate your tone, you can reduce hostility Modulation - inflection - how you put things (I never said you stole the money) Pace - slow or fast changes. Slow - making a decision. Fast - exited. Pitch - loudness It’s not what you said, it was how you said it.

20. Professionalism - actions consistent with role... Service Provider (YOU!) when our words, attitude, demeanor and voice are not consistent with the customer’s perception of our role...their frustration may produce stress and anxiety that can cause their anger to be expressed as violence

22. Communication Barriers Anger Sunglasses Desk/Counter Distractions (noise, radio, phones...) Disinterest Interruptions Lack of empathy

24. Verbal Abuse when someone yells and becomes verbally abusive, they are asking for help words and meaning are seldom the same when people are upset don’t react to the words, interpret the meaning If you take things personal...you get mad. You get mad...you lose focus on professional role, you get tunnel vision and begin to miss communication cues. As the temple goes up, your safety goes down. If you can control yourself, you can control others. Your safety goes up because you make better decisions and you are more observant. Let the other person have the last word if he/she is doing what you want.If you take things personal...you get mad. You get mad...you lose focus on professional role, you get tunnel vision and begin to miss communication cues. As the temple goes up, your safety goes down. If you can control yourself, you can control others. Your safety goes up because you make better decisions and you are more observant. Let the other person have the last word if he/she is doing what you want.

25. Redirect rather than resist Redirect rather than resist

26. Hard Core Set context correct voice, professional face and no ego, explain what you want the person to do (without too much repetition) Present options explain how complying is in the person’s own best interest. Explaining grounds allows you and the person to save face. Confirm “Is there anything I can say or do to get you to ...” Act Break contact, alert co-workers and call the police Professional presence is the most powerful persuasive tools personal appeal is next. People will act out of self interest, so show empathy. Practical appeal is situation and must be appropriate to the specific situation (humor) The use of logic and reason is the weakest appeal because most people do no think rationally in crises situations. Once people are calm, this appeal has power. When to call the police no voluntary compliance is forthcoming you have exhausted all verbal options suspicious behavior can be explained whenever your personal space is violated whoever anyone has been threatened whenever anyone is in immanent danger whenever any property under your control is threatened Any violent, threatening, extremely abuse behavior Professional presence is the most powerful persuasive tools personal appeal is next. People will act out of self interest, so show empathy. Practical appeal is situation and must be appropriate to the specific situation (humor) The use of logic and reason is the weakest appeal because most people do no think rationally in crises situations. Once people are calm, this appeal has power. When to call the police no voluntary compliance is forthcoming you have exhausted all verbal options suspicious behavior can be explained whenever your personal space is violated whoever anyone has been threatened whenever anyone is in immanent danger whenever any property under your control is threatened Any violent, threatening, extremely abuse behavior

27. Proximity & Positioning angry people need more space the more the anger ...the more the space don’t let anyone invade your space always maintain eye contact speak slowly and confidently

28. Be aware of body language... yours & others Posture & Stance are clues to intent Open or closed? Threatening? Confident? Keep Alert?

29. Defuse bad feelings, keep the line of communications open; the goal is to keep the exchange of ideas and communication open for arriving at a solution.Defuse bad feelings, keep the line of communications open; the goal is to keep the exchange of ideas and communication open for arriving at a solution.

30. Paraphrasing is one of the most powerful communication tool! you can interrupt someone and not generate resistance you can take control you get it right on the spot the other can correct you if you have made an error

31. Paraphrasing is a way to improve your communicating power! makes the other feel that you are listening & understanding allows the other to hear his/her meaning in other words it can clarify meaning for others nearby it generates a “fair play” response

32. Knowing what to do... and what NOT to do c a n s a v e l i v e s !

33. For more information... If urgent: 911 POLICE DEPARTMENT 24 hrs 824-5223 (Police / Fire / Medical) Crime Prevention Unit 824-7181 www.police.uci.edu For help & information, on non-urgent Threats, call the following: Faculty & Staff Counseling Center 824-8355 Student Counseling Center 824-6457 Ombudsman & Mediation 824-7256 Equal Opportunity & Diversity 824-5594 Environmental Health &Safety 824-4819

34. Questions and Answers Thanks for Your Attention...