Law Enforcement & Workplace Violence Prevention

Workplace violence costs over $120 billion per year. The F.B.I. advises nearly 46% of all active shooter situations occur at businesses. While mass shootings tend to get the lion's share of media attention, a large number of assaults occur at businesses and customers, clients, visitors, and employees can be victims or perpetrators.

The first time to involve law enforcement in workplace violence mitigation should not be when a crime is in progress. They should be involved in proactive safety planning.

I have communicated with many current/past members of law enforcement while conducting workplace violence prevention research and without exception they advised me they are happy to provide preventative guidance to the communities they serve including businesses.

Of course there are no guarantees in this day and age to prevent all violence. In the event of a worst case scenario, the fact that law enforcement was involved in safety planning could help the business in the defense of a workplace violence-related lawsuit such as one arising in negligence.

I will address the relationship between maintaing a solid relationship with law enforcement and workplace violence prevention and mitigation further in my forthcoming book "The Killer in the Next Cubicle."

In the interim, if you are a business owner or manager and have not already done so, I recommend you reach out to Iaw enforcement and involve them in your 2018 safety planning activities.