Transcript Worker Safety and working with Law Enforcement for Social

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Workshop Overview
 Needs Assessment – your safety concerns
 Discussion of Personal Safety Principles, The 5 A’s:
 Attitude, Awareness, Assessment, Action, & Aftermath
 Safety in the Office
 Safety in the Field
 Managing/De-escalating conflict
 Recognizing & Defusing Aggressive Behavior
Intents for the Day
 Draw Upon the Experience in the Room
 Learn From Each Other
 Facilitate A Discussion
Needs Assessment
What are your safety concerns?
Personal Safety Principles
The 5 A’s
 Attitude
 Awareness
 Assessment
 Action
 Aftermath
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Attitude
 What you project
 Body Language
 How do you carry yourself?
 How do you carry your belongings?
 What signals are you sending via body language?
 Meek, timid victim?
 Confident person aware of their surroundings
 Not just external projection but an internal mind speak
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Attitude
Planning & Preparation
 Are you ready for your day? For your tasks?
Work hours / Transportation / Clothing / Destinations
Mental preparation begins when you wake up
in the morning, not when you’re being
attacked
 Importance of mental preparation
 Decision not to be a victim
 Body language, nonverbal communication –
 What are you projecting
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Awareness
The moment you go from the environment you control to one you don’t,
you need to be alert. Have that mild sense of suspicion
 Cornerstone to personal safety
 Be alert; know what’s going on around you
 Pay attention to where you’re going, how
you’re going to get there.
 Plan ahead, but be flexible
 Knowledge of issues in the
area/neighborhood
 Awareness of body language, nonverbal
communication – what are they projecting
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Assessment
A constant part of the cycle. As circumstances change, as awareness
changes, the assessment changes. Must be able to adapt, stay fluid,
not get locked into a mind set or a particular pre-determined response.
What does this information mean to me?
 How does this impact me?
 How much at risk am I?
How great is the risk?
 Based on my assessment, what will I do?
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Action
Give yourself permission to do something
Preparation - positioning yourself to respond
 Mentally
 Physically
 What are you wearing? (jewelry, type of shoes, purse/bag)
Do Something. If all else fails, act
 Go back inside, cross the street, ask for help, tell somebody
 Increase the personal space between you and the other
 Walk away; Run
 Draw attention to your situation: scream, yell
If it’s about getting your stuff, cooperate:
You are more important than your stuff
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Action:
Avoidance
The nature of your work puts you in situations where you may
be at risk. Knowing that, what can you do to minimize your
risks and enhance your safety? Avoid Unnecessary Risks
Avoidance
Level/type of avoidance varies with threat,
perception of threat
 I’m going to avoid 2nd & Pike at 2am
 Okay I’m here at 2nd & Pike at 2am. Guy makes me
uncomfortable; I’m crossing the street
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Action
Preparation, Precaution Are Part Of Action
Preparation
 Where are you going?
 What are you going to be doing?
 Are you going alone?
 What do you need to have with you?
 Who knows where you are?
Precaution
 What do you know about where you are going , who you are
meeting?
 Is someone going to check in with you? Do you have someone
to check in with?
 Making sure the person(s) you’re with know that someone else
knows where you are and what you’re doing
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Action
Dude’s in Your Face
 Assess when they are coming toward you
 Avenues of escape
 Available weapons (Keys)
 De-escalation – verbal, non-verbal
 Verbalization
 Stop! Back Up!, Hey, what are you doing? Fire!
 Stance, body positioning
 What are you prepared to do
 How are you positioned to respond
 Distractions
Hand full of change
Hands to Face and Yell
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Action
Physical Violence is always the last resort.
When it gets to that point, it is the only option.
You need to be prepared and fully commit.
Mindset
 When are you willing to fight?
 What are you willing to fight for?
 Are you willing to fight for yourself?
Knowing what to do and when to do it
 Without over-analyzing, over-processing, over-thinking.
 Muscle Memory.
Knowing what you are allowed to do to defend yourself
or another
 What the law allows/recognizes
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Aftermath
Physical Safety
 Immediate concern
Report
Give good descriptions
Survivor – Things to Process
 Questions
 Emotions
 Don’t Blame Yourself – Not Your Fault
The 5 A’s - © Obsidian Security Group, Inc. 2007
Personal Safety Principles
Questions?
Worker Safety
 Safety in the Office
 Safety in the Field
Overview: Workplace Violence
Workplace violence defined
 Threats, threatening behaviors, or assault (any unwanted touching)
 Any threat or assault needs to be reported
Broad areas of workplace violence
 Violence by strangers
 Violence by clients/customers
 Violence by co-workers
 Violence by personal relations
What are the most pressing threats to staff in your environments?
What are the Risk Factors?
Enhancing Your Safety
in the Office Environment
 Physical security of office environment
 Office layout (exits, physical barriers, blind spots),
safeguards, hazards
 Unknown/unauthorized persons?
 Policies and procedures
 Use of ID Badges?
 Emergency protocols?
 Meeting with public
 What does your gut say?
 Use of meeting/interview rooms
 How /where do you sit?
 Communications – Code words?
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
 A vulnerable time; you’re on their “home field”.
 Planning & Preparation
 History of person; - give you an idea of how they may react
 Hours – When are you going?
Transportation – Vehicle in good order,
Dress/attire and shoes – can you move, run?
Jewelry and accessories – “breakaway” IDs?
 Location history, possible hazards
Urban, Suburban or Rural?
Ingress/Egress Routes – Map it/Plan it
Communication
 Who knows where you are/who you’re with?
Ensure colleague or office knows location, times on site,
expected return
Pre-arranged status checks
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
Suggested Items for the field
 Flashlight
 Camera
 Notepad
 Tape recorder, other recording devise
 Cell Phone
 Phone number list
 Emergency Kit (Including 1st Aid)
 GPS
 Other Items? – What have you found to be helpful for you?
Enhancing Your Safety
While In-Transit
 Ensure that the car you are using is in
good mechanical condition, well
maintained
 Keep tank ¾ full when possible
 If you drive your personal car,
remember that who you are meeting will
know what you drive.
 Keep items inside your car out of sight.
 Attempt to minimize your personal
belongings
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
 Don’t just pull right in to the location; take
the extra time to observe
 Drive up slowly, but not too slow.
 Give “transition” time
 Park so you can leave unimpeded
 Never park at a property so your car is
blocked from an exit
 Take your time at vehicle before going in
 Gives them more transition time
 Give you time to scope out environment
 Pay attention to warning signs – Listen to your gut
 What do you See? Smell? Hear?
 Plan for a quick departure if necessary
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
 Go with your “gut” feeling.
 Pay attention to ingress/egress points
 Constantly scan your surroundings.
 Be cognizant of where you sit, or even if you sit down
 .Keep your knees lower than your hips.
 Cover vs. Concealment
 Pay attention to items that could be used as weapons:
 Knives, other kitchen utensils.
 Sports Equipment
 Fireplace tools
 Axes, mauls, hatchets, machetes etc.
 Tools
 Office supplies (pens, letter openers, paperweights, etc)
Workplace and Field Safety/Security
Best and Worst Examples
Situational Examples of what worked, what didn’t
work, what could have been done differently
This is where we rely on the experience in the room
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
 Situations of Risk/ Potential Violence
 Trust yer gut! If your gut says get out – leave
 Your safety is more important than their feelings
 Partners
 Having a partner extends your space and effects your
area of control; In certain cases, you may want to roll
with someone else
 Options
 If a situation feels unsafe – if your gut tells you
something isn’t right – give yourself permission to do
something about it - Action!
 Debrief
 Share experiences you’ve had so colleagues are also
aware; can learn from you
Enhancing Your Safety
In The Field
 Give yourself permission to Act
 Reschedule or cancel the appointment
 Meet at a different location where there are
numerous people (a local coffee shop, for example)
 Have colleague join you so you are not alone with
the individual
 Refer person to another colleague
Let colleague know why you are pawning the
person off
Safety In The Office
Safety In The Field
Questions?
Worker Safety
 Managing/De-escalating conflict
 Recognizing & Defusing Aggressive
Behavior
Managing Conflict
 Prepare yourself mentally
 Communicate non-verbally
 Listen effectively
 Communicate verbally
 Manage the stages of conflict
 Approach individuals properly
Managing Conflict
Good Body Language - Yours
 Keep your head up, avoid looking down.
 Make eye contact with people, this shows people you
are aware of them.
 Pick your feet up when you walk, avoid shuffling.
 Stay out of “Death Tunnels &/or Funnels!”
 Be aware of Tunnel vision.-scan vision
 How are you standing? Sitting?
 Where are your hands?
Managing Conflict
Posture & Body Language - Theirs
 What does it tell you?
 Warning signs
 Clenched Fists
 Shoulder Roll
 Targeting – looking where they may hit
 Fighting Posture
 Facial Expressions
 Breathing
 Drunk ? Sober? Tweaking?
Managing Conflict
Controlling Confrontation – Trust Yer Gut
 Dealing with annoyance vs. defending yourself from harm
 Venting vs. arguing
 When to engage, when to avoid
Verbal Judo
 Using Presence, Voice to calm difficult people
 Words as tools vs. weapons, force
 Using energy of others to
 Redirect behavior of hostile people
 Diffuse potentially dangerous situations
 Goal: Generate voluntary compliance
De-escalating Conflict
 Validate their right to their opinion, don’t have to agree with
them (Agree to disagree)
 Refer them to someone else
Leave them an option for further discussion at a later time/date
Personal Conduct to
Minimize Violence
Do
Do Not
 Remain Calm
 Be an empathetic listener
 Challenge or threaten
 Bargain
 Engage in power
struggle
 Make sudden
movements
 Take it personally
 Let them vent
 Validate their problems
 Be aware of your own:
 Body language
 Voice tone and volume
 Maintain good personal
space
Recognizing & Defusing
Aggressive Behavior
Non-verbal Communication
 Gestures, Postures and Facial Expressions
 Pay attention to head, shoulders, breathing, facial color,
expression, stance, body leaning, arms, hands, pointing fingers
Personal Space
 Relative to culture, upbringing, age, gender, impairments
Reactionary distance
 distance between ourselves and an aggressor within which our
ability to react is reduced
 As a rule, within 3’, very little time to react
Eye Communication
 Movements, signals that reflect thoughts, feelings, state of mind
 Can show: Submission; Anger; Derangement, Impairment;
Looking for a weapon/escape; Attack is imminent
Materials adapted from course “Management of Aggressive Behaviors”
Recognizing & Defusing
Aggressive Behavior
Stages of Conflict Management
 Recognizing Anxiety
 Managing Aggressor Anxiety
 Empathic Listening
 Five Methods of Communication
Non-verbal - 90% of all communications
Listening
Verbal
Reading
Writing
Materials adapted from course “Management of Aggressive Behaviors”
Recognizing & Defusing
Aggressive Behavior
Stages of Conflict Management
 Supportive Verbal Communication
 Setting the Context
 Controlling the Communication
 Establish Rapport and Empathy
Materials adapted from course “Management of Aggressive Behaviors”
Recognizing & Defusing
Aggressive Behavior
Verbal and Physical Aggression
 Recognizing Verbal Aggression
 Managing Verbal Aggression
 Initial Stage
 Secondary Stage
 Recognizing Physical Aggression
 Managing Physical Aggression
 Initial Stage
 Secondary Stage
Materials adapted from course “Management of Aggressive Behaviors”
Recognizing & Defusing
Aggressive Behavior
 Submission - aggressor backs down
 Some signs: putting hands up; saying “I give up.”;
bowing head; looking down; tone and volume go
down; Grooming gestures; wanting to shake your
hand; backing off; turning their back; covering
head with hands; Falling to the ground
 Redirected Anger
 Channel their aggression elsewhere, may hit a
wall instead of you, throw something
 It gets physical….now what?
 Get the hell out; Have an escape route,
make every effort to use it
Materials adapted from course “Management of Aggressive Behaviors”
It Got Physical . . .
Worse Case Happens: Do what you need to do
to protect yourself – Commit to Surviving
 Protect your vitals (head, torso), by using whatever
you have available
 If someone grabs you, move toward the thumb
 If someone pulls hair, grab their hands/arms
 If choked, lift both arms and spin quickly
 If bitten, push don’t pull away
 Use “Push-Pull” technique (Aikido)
 Practice it
Bottom Line:
 Do whatever you can
 Use anything you can get your hands on
 Managing/De-escalating conflict
 Recognizing & Defusing Aggressive
Behavior
Questions?
Personal Safety Summary
Stay alert!
Anytime you are out and about, pay attention to the present
moment. Anytime you go from an environment you control
to one you don’t, it is in your best interest to maintain a mild
state of suspicion.
Trust your instincts!
Don’t ignore early danger signals. If a situation appears
unsafe, look for avenues of escape. It’s okay to leave.
Have a plan!
Think about how you would respond to a confrontation or
attack. Planning ahead may help you get through an
emergency unharmed.
Personal Safety Summary
 Realize you have options
 Don’t always have to do what you started out to do
 Project a sense of purpose
 Don’t project “target” or “victim “
 Carry minimal possessions
 Take just what you need for what you are doing
 Use a partner whenever possible or needed
 Maintain a comfortable personal space
 Assess your abilities
 What are you capable of doing?
Suggested Follow Up/Resources
 Management Of Aggressive Behaviors class
 Verbal Judo class for verbal de-escalation
 Attempt to develop law enforcement contacts
 Personal Self Defense Classes
 Each Other
Any Final
Questions?
Thank You For Your
Time & Attention
Staying Safe on the Job:
Office and Field Safety
Mark Solomon
[email protected]
206.386.9766
Crime Prevention Coordinator, Seattle Police Department
 Residential & commercial crime prevention, crime follow-up
 Neighborhood problem solving
 Personal safety, workplace safety
 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Lt. Colonel, United States Air Force Reserve
 Worldwide politico-military threat analysis
 Terrorism threat awareness/force protection education
President, Founding Partner of Obsidian Security Group, Inc.
 Security audits & assessments
 Seminars & technical assistance
 Personal safety, self defense, workplace security, loss prevention
 Investigations
 Physical security