Workplace violence = the new domestic violence for law enforcement

Law enforcement has recognized for decades the particular dangers domestic violence presents to officers responding to these calls for help. I have long advocated that workplace-related violence can be as emotionally charged as domestic violence and therefore present the same level of risk to first responders.

Officer Michele Walker of the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department.

My research reveals that many times, the employee turned active shooter has attempted to take the lives of responding officers including in Caroline Nosal's tragic case.

On February 2, 2016, Christopher O'Kroley murdered Carrie as she left work in apparent retaliation for her complaint to management about his harassment and his subsequent February 1, 2016 involuntary dismissal from his job.

Then O'Kroley took off, gun in hand.

My friend Jane Brady Nosal and her husband Dr. Jim Nosal holding a photograph of their late daughter Caroline, just 24 when she was murdered by a disgruntled co-worker.

O'Kroley was spotted the following day running erratically through a busy shopping area by law enforcement.

He aimed the same gun he used to murder Caroline with and shot at Officer Michele Walker of the Madison Police Department.

Fortunately, O'Kroley's bullet missed Officer Walker and he was taken into custody before he had the chance to kill or attempt to kill anyone else.

In October 2016, O'Kroley who had pled guilty to murdering Carrie as well as to the attempted murder of Officer Walker was sentenced to life imprisonment.

I asked Dr. Tanenbaum why employee-on-employee violence appeared to be so emotionally-driven. Here's his response:

The WVPI urges first responders to recognise workplace violence for what it is and take the necessary precautions to educate and protect those responding to these calls for help.

Sources:

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/madison-police-officer-who-shot-at-murder-suspect-identified/article_2042e19b-1fd0-5b5a-a58c-7ac7725061b3.html

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/madison-man-pleads-guilty-to-killing-former-grocery-store-co/article_cc5fa805-717d-584a-9f8e-3891fa0a652b.html

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-who-shot-former-grocery-co-worker-gets-life-eligible/article_2e6ee751-49e5-5749-b143-3ea4ce423f77.html