THREAT REPORTING #

Threats should be taken seriously by agency staff; however, no retaliation, either verbal or physical, is allowed. In the event an employee receives a threat, the following actions should be taken and reported to DLS as explained in the sections below.

NOTE: Follow local office protocols as well as the below procedures. Refer to Administrative Policy Workplace Violence 3-301.pdf for more information.

1. Responding to Workplace Violence:

1. 1. Telephone Threats:
      1. Remain calm and make written notes of the exact wording of the threat regardless of the language used by the caller.
      2. Staff should lead the conversation back to the fundamental issue and make every attempt to deescalate the situation.
      3. Each threat call is treated as a new threat even if the same caller has made threats in previous calls.
   2. In Person Threats:
      1. Remain calm and attempt to calm the individual by listening and maintaining eye contact, proceed to provide services.
      2. If unable to calm individual to continue services, inform them they may speak to a supervisor.
      3. If behavior escalates, remain calm and maintain distance or seek a safe opportunity to leave.
   3. Written and Electronic Communication Threats:
      1. Preserve the document in its original form to protect evidence.
      2. Do not delete and minimize physical contact.
      3. Print copy of original message or take photo of the document or item.
   4. Active Shooter or Weapons Threat:
      1. Active Shooter situations can escalate quickly
      2. Remember: RUN, HIDE, FIGHT
      3. Refer to Active Shooter Preparedness page for more information
   5. Bomb Threats
      1. Always take seriously until proven otherwise
      2. Act quickly, remain calm and report

2. Reporting Procedures:

2. 2. Employees must immediately report threats or other harassing behavior through their chain of command:
      2. RC offices report to: Office Manager, Toni Sneller, Stephanie White, Kevin Baclesse and Robin Leikam.
      3. CSC Offices report to: Supervisor and Office Manager.
         • NOTE: If a threat is made for a specific location, the Manager of that location also needs to be notified.
   3. Draft a statement with the client’s name, DCN, and the exact wording of the threat then complete the Workplace Violence Incident Report (Exhibit 1) and submit to direct supervisor and DLS regional contact.
   4. If the threat is for an office that the manager does not directly supervise, they will need to reach out the manager in the office that the threat was made toward.
      1. The manager in the office the threat was made toward will follow the current admin policy regarding reporting to DLS.
   5. If the original threat call is transferred to a supervisor where an additional threat is made that is considered a new threat and must be reported as such.
   6. If there are different types of threatening statements said in the same call, each different type of threatening statement needs to be reported.
      1. For example, if caller says they are going to jump off a bridge you would report this. If the caller goes on to say they are going to blow up a building that also needs to be reported. Supervisors MUST report each different type of threatening statement to the office manager.
         • NOTE: EUMEMROL comments and/or MEDES comments should give NOT indication that a threat was made on the phone call.
3.  References:
   1. Admin Policy Workplace Violence 3-301.pdf
   2. Active Shooter Preparedness
   3. Workplace Violence Incident Report (Exhibit 1)
   4. Division of Legal Services Welfare Investigation Unit (DLS WIU) regional contact