Excaliber Security Services LLC

Overview

Violence can affect any organization, regardless of size or location. While it is certainly true that some areas are generally safer than others in that random external violence occurs less frequently there than in other places, it is a fact of life that really bad things can happen anywhere there are people, and at any time.

Prevention and management of violent behavior is a part of every organization's moral and legally mandated responsibility to provide a safe working environment. Unfortunately, this is a neglected topic in many companies and institutions because the dynamics of violence are poorly understood by the managers who write policies and procedures. Their lack of direct experience with violent conduct in the real world becomes the organization's problem when the guidelines that sounded good when written fail catastrophically in the face of actual violent behavior.

What Behaviors Should Be Covered?

We recommend considering the following conduct as either actual violent behavior or a precursor to it:

• Physical Violence - Striking, pushing, slapping, etc. with or without weapons or objects
• Threats - Direct threats by words, email, telephone or text messages, and innuendos or gestures that a reasonable person would understand as a threat of imminent or future physical harm
• Intimidation in its many forms
• Physical or electronic vandalism or sabotage to the organization's property or information, or to the property or information of an employee, guest, or contractor
• Unwelcome touching and sexual or verbal harassment

Who Should We Be Concerned About?

Many organizations spend a great deal of effort on detecting and preventing violent behavior among employees, but there are actually 4 categories of people who need to be addressed in a solid plan:

• Employees and former employees
• Persons with no relation to the organization
• Visitors: contractors / vendors / clients or customers
• Social acquaintances and domestic partners of employees

Attempts to profile employees by background characteristics such as prior military service to preidentify those who might present a threat is not a productive endeavor, because the best research in the field has concluded that there is no valid profile to match against. However, there are behavioral indicators that, when properly analyzed, can provide a strong indication of whether or not an elevated risk is present in a particular circumstance. Potential risks posed by people who are not part of the organization, such as domestic partners of employees, can also be analyzed this way if those persons' behavior is brought to the attention of the organization.

What Does a Viable Program Look Like?

An effective program for preventing, responding to and managing violence must be organically integrated into the way an organization does business.

In a well designed program, the following elements will be addressed:

• Policies
• Procedures
• Pre hire background checks
• Drug Screening
• Effective vehicular and personnel access controls
• Awareness and education with customized programs for executives and managers, supervisors, and line employees
• Training
• Equipment
• Deterrence
• Early detection of behaviors of concern
• Reporting
• Competent investigation and disposition of behavioral concern reports according to pre established guidelines
• Effective internal and external response to incidents
• Notifications
• Media and investor relations
• Post incident recovery

We Can Help

Excaliber Security Services LLC has deep experience with managing violent conduct and can help your organization develop an effective program for protecting your people and your property. Contact us to find out how we can best meet your needs.