Watch Out for the Saber Tooth Tiger!

From the Suburban Survival blog

Imagine how different your life would be if you lived in caveman times. For one thing, you wouldn’t be reading this, unless I took the time to carve it out on stone or drew it as pictures on a cave wall somewhere.

Now imagine the kinds of things you might worry about. Many of today’s worries would be gone, but others would take the place. You might be thinking about the day in the office (okay, just another cave) at the wheel factory, wondering why a square doesn’t roll as well as an octagon. Maybe, it has to do with the octagon having more sides?

But as you leave, you remember the news that a saber tooth tiger had been spotted in the area a few nights ago. In fact, you heard that a neighbor’s cousin had actually seen it! As you begin the walk home through the fading daylight, you grip your club just a little bit tighter and make an effort to peer into the darkest shadows in the woods around you, with your ears tuned to the slightest sound. Quickly, the thoughts of work and octagons and square wheels are gone, evaporating as a cold fear clings to you, tighter than your wooly-mammoth onesie.

After a long walk, you make it home to your cave without encountering the vicious beast that had preoccupied your thoughts. The cave never seemed so cozy, but no time to think about the tiger anymore as your wife wants you to do something about the kids who refuse to play outside and spend hours staring into that new-fangled fire that you insisted on bringing home.

And now a quick trip back to the future, or at least the present day. How different we live, not just in terms of technology, but also how accustomed we get to living in a society that is relatively safe. There are no more saber tooth tigers ready to pounce as we head home from work. In fact, we hardly give safety or security a thought at all as we go about our business.

Although we often ignore them, there are still risks. You may not need to carry your club with you everywhere, but it is still smart to stay aware of your surroundings and alert to what is going on around you. The best security advice you could follow is quite simply to stay aware.

Criminals often count on catching victims unaware and being overwhelming them by surprise. I just recently read an interesting article on tactics used by pick-pockets. Some of the pick-pockets interviewed in the article admitted that if they saw a potential victim paying attention to those around them and alert to his or her environment, the crook would pick a different, easier, target to ply their illicit trade.

It is easy advice, like locking your doors when you leave, but still often ignored or overlooked. It is very easy to lose that awareness, perhaps now more than ever. After all, never before in history have people had such access to distraction as we have today. Smartphones are a huge cause of our alertness-deficiency. You can hardly walk down the street without seeing many of the people around you with the phone up in front of them, their head tucked down and thumbs flying over the virtual keypad. Texting. Tweeting. Facebooking. Googling. And maybe even some reading. All are constantly screaming for our attention.

Even at a stop light, look at the driver’s around you. You’ll almost always see at least one person sneaking in a quick text or message. More alarming is the number of people driving around who don’t even wait for a stoplight to continue their messaging. You can easily pick them out by their erratic speeds, weaving and generally clueless.

So, if you are serious about personal safety and security, put the phone away. When you are walking to your car or down the street, take the time to look around you. Is there anyone lurking around who seems suspicious or groups of people who may be paying an overly amount of attention to you?

Police officers develop observation skills by constantly looking at passing vehicles or pedestrians. Training officers grill recruits about a description of the driver in the red car that just passed, or ask for a description of someone standing on the corner you just drove through. Police officers also learn to watch the hands, for signs that someone has a concealed weapon or may be reaching for one.

Build your own awareness through similar drills. Make the effort to pay attention to people in your surroundings and note something about their description, even something as simple as jacket color or something distinctive. As you do this, you will also notice those things that make you say "mmm." Even if it is on a subconscious level.

Today, you may not have to worry about attacks by a saber tooth tiger and certainly should not live in fear. Be smart and stay alert to your surroundings and you will be well on your way to avoiding the modern version of our hungry tiger.

Suburban Survival Tip - Stay off the cell phone when walking around town and watch out for saber-tooth tigers. 

Photos from Wiki Commons

Combining his law enforcement and corporate security experiences plus a love of martial arts, Eric Smith created Business Karate, LLC. His new book, Workplace Security Essentials, outlines how any business, school, hospital or organization can master the art of self-defense, reduce losses, avoid liability and build a safer workplace. Visit www.businesskarate.com for more. Follow on Twitter @businesskarate

10 Questions Parents Need to Ask About School Security

Summer is winding down.  That means school has started, or is about too, depending on where in the country you are.  Amidst the rush to get supplies, school clothes and back to a more hectic pace of life, parents should ask some basic questions about their kids’ school security.  Schools are normally safe havens for our children, but are very vulnerable to becoming a target.  They are generally ‘soft’ targets with little in the way of security staff and attract a lot of attention when things go wrong. 

As a concerned parent, take a few moments to ask some basic questions about the school’s security program and verify that everything reasonable is being done to keep children safe in school.  Just by taking an interest and following up with the school will send the message that safety is important and helps ensure that the best steps will be taken.

1. Who’s in charge?

The first item is to find out who is responsible for security.  Is it listed as a duty in their job description?  It is a good bet that if no one is responsible for security, then security is just an afterthought at the school.

 

2. Access control –

               How many doors are left unlocked during the school day and who locks them up afterwards?  Are all the open doors in a location where they can be supervised by staff?  How are visitors identified?

 

3. Background screening –

               All employees working around kids should be screened during the hiring phase.  Does the screening process look for criminal convictions around the country or just locally?  What is the policy on individuals with criminal histories – at what point are they considered non-hirable?  Is there any screening on long-term employees after they have been hired, such as an annual criminal record check?

 

4. Crime tracking –

               Is there a record of criminal events or suspicious activity that occurs on the property?  How about periodic tracking of data to see if crime is increasing or decreasing around campus?

 

5. Security risk assessment –

               Every year, a security risk assessment should be completed to identify high risks and that information should in turn be the focus of efforts to fix the gaps.  Does the assessment include a review of policies and procedures, crime reports, local crime, as well as building security including lighting and landscape?

 

6. Security drills –

               When was the last security drill?  Were areas for improvement identified and what steps were taken to make those improvements?  Along the same lines, what kind of security awareness training has been provided to faculty?  Has staff been trained to identify suspicious behavior?

 

7. Video surveillance –

               Video surveillance can be a great tool for evidence gathering after an incident, as well as a chance to detect and deter suspicious problems.  Does staff know how to use the existing video surveillance system to search for events, as well as download images or video for law enforcement?  Is the software updated routinely and how often are the cameras cleaned or serviced?

 

8. Threat assessment team –

               Does the school have a team to assess any risky events or threats?  A mix of staff and local law enforcement should be part of the team to evaluate threats or violent behavior and develop an action plan on how to respond.

 

9. Tracking of custody issues –

               This applies to parents with sole or shared custody following a separation.  How does the school track and enforce who is allowed to pick up kids from class?  What steps are taken to prevent parental kidnapping?  Are copies of restraining orders kept on file along with any court-issued custody papers?

 

10. Special events –

               How is security maintained when off campus?  Field trips or even on-campus events may require additional security measures.  What steps are considered and how is protection maintained?

               As a parent, one of the best things that you can do to help keep your children safe at school is to ask these questions and show an interest, and let administration know that security is an important consideration.

 

Eric Smith, CPP is the leading authority on organizational self-defense.  He has extensive experience in law enforcement as well as security management.  Eric is available for staff education and security awareness training as well as business coaching to help organizations provide safe workplaces.  To learn more email eric@businesskarate.com.

Fed Up Woman Says Enough is Enough

When Monique Lawless entered the Texas Wal-Mart, she had no idea what she was going to run into.  As she was checking out, she saw three men stealing beer from the store and head out to the parking lot.  The store employees did not attempt to stop them, so she told the cashier to watch her purse and ran out after them.  She jumped onto their car as they tried to drive away, stomping on the windshield and sunroof before sliding off as they picked up speed. 

The three suspects were later arrested and it turned out that they were brothers, all with the name Sylvester.  No wonder they turned to a life of crime.

For years, we’ve heard law enforcement recommend against intervening in criminal acts and, as a society, we’ve learned the lesson and dutifully stopped becoming involved, giving crooks free reign.  Conventional security wisdom would say not to get mixed up and to only fight for your property.  Normally, that is even my advice when teaching security awareness classes. 

However, Monique bucked the trend and took a stand.  Why she reached her boiling point may never be known.  She deserves to be recognized as a true everyday hero.  Of course, the local police quickly warned that this kind of intervention was not recommended.

Maybe if more people stood up against crooks, thieves, and other miscreants, we would see criminals become the ones hiding and acting afraid, not innocent individuals.  Most bad guys are ultimately cowards.  That is even a large reason that street gangs hang out together.  When it comes down to it, they don’t have the courage to act alone.  By sheer numbers, they can intimidate and bully others. 

In this case, though, one average, everyday individual challenged three suspects, all alone.  And it ended well.  She walked away without serious injury and the bad guys went to jail.  More people standing up like this can help curtail, if not stop, crime. 

That doesn’t mean that you have to get physically involved or jump onto moving cars.  There are a lot of ways that each of us can step up and help put the bad guys behind bars.  Three basic guidelines will help you do the right thing for the situation.

1.      Be aware of your surroundings.

2.     Be a good witness.

3.     Take action.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these.  Be aware.  Don’t ignore what is going on around you.  No matter what happens, if you don’t know about it, you cannot help.  In fact, this is the basis of any self-defense program or personal security.  Awareness is the fundamental and is critical to being street smart (Five Tips to Becoming Street Smart).  Monique was obviously aware of what the three suspects were doing.  It would have been easier to ignore it, pretend not to see it or be so distracted that she didn’t see it.

Next is to be a good witness.  Bad guys do not want attention and don’t want anyone watching them.  If you see something going on, make note of what the person is doing, how they are dressed and especially look for identifying marks.  The more obvious, the more likely the suspect will feel uncomfortable and want to move on quickly.  There are some exceptions, as during a robbery (read How to Survive a Robbery).

Last is to take action.  That doesn’t mean doing anything high risk or suicidal or even some movie-like stunt.  The action could be as simple as calling the police and waiting to give your statement to the officers.  Be willing to follow up by going to court later, if necessary.  Too often, witnesses disappear before police can get statements.  Stand up for what you saw.

Action may mean intervention.  That is a personal choice, but if someone is getting hurt and you are in a position to help then do so.  We’ve all heard the stories of attacks happening in front of dozens of witnesses, no one even called the police, and no one stepped in to help.  Remember to be safe.  If it is too dangerous then seek help, but take at least that action.

So Monique Lawless is a hero and her actions likely led to the suspects being arrested a short time later after a police pursuit.  Don’t mess with Texas.

As for me, I will continue to teach employees to fight for their life, not property.  However, I will also train others to follow the steps above and will never criticize someone for taking bold steps to stop a group of pathetic thieves.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  Edmund Burke

              

                   

Fight, Flight or Freeze – You Decide!

               How would you respond in a life-threatening situation?  Would you have a plan, have to create one on the fly, or just freeze?  Wait a minute – what happened to fight or flight?  Aren’t those the two reactions we are supposed to have in a terrifying moment?  All too often, paralyzing fear takes over and causes us to do just that – paralyzing us in our tracks.

               In the article, “5 Tips to Becoming Street Smart,” one of the tips was to react to a threat and respond to a critical situation.  Certainly, knowing how to react is one of the elements of being street smart.  Unfortunately, that is not always the way that we do react.

               We hear of the fight or flight response so often that we assume it is natural.  Wouldn’t we just automatically know whether to flee or to fight off an attack?  When you think about it, we do talk about things like a deer “frozen in the headlights.”  So, nature does set an example of animals becoming paralyzed by the unknown.

               Unfortunately, there are many cases where victims froze when confronted with a deadly attacker.  In some cases, the victims outnumbered the attacker and still froze, unable to take action.  There are many reasons why.  One is that we are taught from a young age not to fight back, whether in school, on the playground or even as adults.  Police departments commonly warn against fighting off a mugger or other criminals, especially if a property crime such as purse snatching is involved. 

Another reason is that when we deal with a situation that is completely unknown, our mind is distracted.  It is something like the confusion of traveling to a foreign country.  You could walk into a grocery store on your street and immediately know where to go, how to find the items you are looking for and all the while talking on a cell phone or texting someone.  In another setting, where the environment is different and the language is one you do not know, then you will find that the same grocery list becomes much harder.

               The first step is to eliminate the tendency to freeze when thrown into an unknown situation.  The way to do that starts long before facing a dangerous predator, two or four-legged.  To avoid that mental freeze you have to make a decision ahead of time about how you will respond and what you are willing to do.  In terms of self-defense and life-threatening crime, how far are you willing to go to protect yourself?  Would you physically fight an attacker?  That is a decision that you should make long before ever finding yourself in a dangerous situation.

               The second phase, once you’ve decided on your response, is to begin the mental preparation.  To keep your mind from freezing, you need to exercise it and think through what if scenarios.  This is exactly the type of training that law enforcement recruits go through in the police academy.  Scenarios and realistic situations to build up the type of response that they will need to survive on the street and deal effectively and safely with difficult circumstances.

               Done right, this can also help increase your awareness of what is going on around you.  If you are paying attention to your surroundings, you can use everyday interactions to create ‘what if’ scenarios.  As you are walking down the sidewalk and you see someone walking towards you, think about what you would do if they suddenly demanded your wallet or cell phone.  What if a car pulled up next to you and asked you directions in a soft voice?  How close would you get and how would you react if the driver or a passenger tried to pull you into the car? 

               Periodically running through different possibilities can help you respond if you ever need to.  It doesn’t have to make your paranoid either.  In law enforcement, officers learn about different levels of mental awareness to their surroundings.  Ideally, when out and about, you should be aware of what is going on around you.  Sitting on the couch in your house, would be a time when you can let your guard down.  Your what if exercises should develop that awareness, but not to the point of becoming paranoid.  You should walk through a parking lot at night and ponder what you should do if someone in a parked car would attack you without becoming fearful or anxious.

               The third step is to build your muscle memory.  If you’ve gone through the mental exercise of deciding how to respond and training yourself to be aware, then the next and final step would be the actual fight.  Hopefully, you will never be in a life-threatening attack, but if you are, you will be ready to fight back.  This is the true fight or flight moment.  Fleeing may be difficult.  An attacker may be much faster than you, so fleeing may actually give them more of an advantage.  Only run if you have an escape nearby or within reach.  Or if you lucky enough to be a track star. 

               Fighting to protect yourself may be the best course of action.  You do not have to be Bruce Lee to fight back, but part of your preparedness should be to practice a few basic self-defense moves before that moment comes.  There is a lot that goes into self-defense training, much more than we will cover here.  There will be more on self-defense moves to come, but nothing replaces the actual physical practice of realistic self-defense moves and responses. 

               Remember the three basic steps to build the right reply to the fight, flight or freeze options.

1.      Decide now – Make your mind up ahead of time on how you will respond.

2.     Constant planning – Use ‘what if’ scenarios to prepare yourself for different threats.

3.     Build muscle memory – Join or practice self-defense tactics to keep yourself physically prepared.          

Following this basic process will help you deal with the unexpected and to escape danger.

How to Survive a Robbery

               William Sutton was popular.  He was, in many ways, a gentleman.  He enjoyed his work and was quoted as saying that he only felt truly alive when plying his trade.  The only problem was that his trade was robbing banks.  Over the course of his life, he robbed 100 banks and netted about $2 million.  The downside, for him, was that he spent half of his adult life in prison.

               In an interview later in his life, he claimed that the weapons he used in his robberies were unloaded.  He was not a violent thief, no one was ever hurt during his heists, and he claimed that if a woman screamed or a child cried he would stop the robbery.

               Unfortunately, not all robbers are as inclined to avoid violence.  In fact, about 10% of homicides occur during robberies.  In one study of a group of incarcerated robbery suspects, almost all did not plan to use violence, but most were willing to use violence if the victim challenged them or did not cooperate.

               Victims are in a very dangerous position during a robbery.  Even our friend William Sutton, aka “Slick Willie,” usually carried a Thompson machine gun noting that you couldn’t rob a bank with charm and personality alone.  Obviously, the victims would not know at the time whether his gun was loaded or not nor whether he was going to hurt them or not. 

               Most robbers are desperate and looking for a ‘quick win.’  The motive for most is to gain money for illegal street activity, such as gambling or drugs.  If drugs are involved that only escalates the risk as the suspect may be going through withdrawal symptoms.

               The risks related to robbery were highlighted recently in a case in Boulder, Colorado.  A man and woman were walking near the college campus at 2 am when a masked man with a gun confronted them.  Initially, the woman thought it was a prank and pulled the bandana off the suspect.  At one point, there was a physical scuffle and the robber fired a warning shot into the air and turned the gun towards the man, shooting and killing him. 

               Fortunately, the police arrested the suspect, Kevin McGregor, within days and charged him with 1^st degree murder as well as possession of a firearm by a previous offender.  As it turned out, the suspect had been involved in a robbery in 2008 when the victim was stabbed in the head with a knife.  McGregor served 120 days of a sentence that was originally supposed to be five years. 

               Both cases offer valuable lessons on dealing with robberies.  Perhaps the first lesson is that businesses recognize their risk.  A reporter credited William Sutton with saying that he robbed banks because “that’s where the money is.”  Obvious, but it is often ignored.  If your business handles cash or drugs then you are at a higher risk.  Some simple steps can help reduce that risk though.  William Sutton earned the title of “Slick Willie” long before our 42^nd president because of his use of disguises to infiltrate his target banks.  He was arrested or stopped on more than one occasion because of alert and suspicious passers-by.

               Most robbers will stake-out their crime ahead of time, especially to make note of escape routes and potential problems.  They will look for where the cash or drugs are stored.  Some suspects preferred crowds and felt that the numerous people helped cover their escape.  Most prefer isolation and catching their victims alone.  Suspects also look for hiding places to use before the offense, either to hide in the business or to remain out of sight waiting for the chance to commit their crime.

               Part of the prevention process is to limit or minimize the hiding areas around your business, as well as signs stating that the cash is locked and not accessible, such as “Our cash registers only have $20 in the drawer.”  Potential escape routes are another important consideration.  Walk around your business thinking like a robber.  How would you plan it?  How would you get away?  When would you time it?

               Some studies have found that some security measures such as video surveillance do not deter criminals.  We only have to watch shows like “America’s Dumbest Criminals” to see that crooks will really do some dumb things knowing that they are almost certainly being recorded on video.

               On a personal level, the same prevention principles still apply.  Be aware of your surroundings and keep your personal valuables out of sight as much as possible.  Some suspects are looking for the right opportunity and seeing a purse hanging loosely from a woman’s shoulder may be a target for a quick ‘strong-arm’ robbery. 

               Remember that a robbery is a very dangerous situation.  If you are robbed, don’t fight for your property, but do fight for your life.  Generally, giving the crook what they ask for as quickly as possible will get them away from you as soon as possible, especially if they are armed.  Don’t make direct eye contact as they may feel you are trying to memorize their face or description.  Do try to note all the descriptors that you can, especially the things that cannot be easily changed.  Skin tone, height, build, tattoos, scars etc. are things that cannot be disguised easily. 

               Of course, call the police immediately.  Too often, victims call their friends, relatives or boss first.  Make the first call to the police to give them the best chance to catch the crook red-handed. 

               The last piece of advice is a tough one.  If the suspect becomes violent and tries to hurt you or someone else, then you must fight back and defend yourself.  Your life is in danger and you must fight like it.  Do whatever it takes: biting, kicking, gouging.  For situations like this, the most important self-defense move is to think through what you will do in a situation like that.  Picture your workplace or places you frequent and imagine scenarios where you might encounter a robber and what you will do to protect yourself.  Having a plan in mind will help keep you from freezing in a moment of terror and could make all the difference.

Fighting Back - One Way to Beat a Rapist

               The shadowy figure paused briefly before running across the lawn.  A gloved hand reached out and pushed open the window and he climbed inside.  Nearby, on the bed, he could see the woman sleeping and moved towards her.

               Something similar happened in a small Colorado town recently, just after 1 am.  In this case, the suspect tried to sexually assault the woman, but she fought back.  No, she wasn’t necessarily a martial arts expert nor have a black belt.  She bit him.  On the neck.  As in a vampire-style bite.  This unorthodox self-defense move did just want it should have – it stopped the attack and the suspect fled.

               In 2009, a sex offender attacked a woman in an attempted rape.  She fought back, biting off the suspect’s tongue, severing it.  Ouch.  He was arrested later, but I am sure that his injuries must have made the subsequent police interviews interesting.

               Neither approach is probably the ideal solution.  After all, who wants to bite someone else, especially someone attacking you?  Nevertheless, in both cases, the women stopped the attacker.

               Rape is a violent crime, one that is extremely damaging both physically and mentally.  I’ve known women who equate rape with murder and even some who think of it as worse. 

               In these cases, the victims decided not to succumb to the attack, made the decision to fight back, and did so successfully.  Too often, we hear police department spokespersons and other crime prevention sources warning against fighting back against criminals.  And sometimes that may be the right approach.  Property can be replaced, but our health or wellbeing is not always so easy to recover.  The problem with this approach or mindset is that victims forget that there is a time to fight back and to protect one’s self.  That is opposite of what we are taught and how we are trained, going back all the way to grade school.  We are taught from a young age that fighting is wrong and you will get in trouble no matter the case.  That is a good lesson to learn, but then when you are physically in danger, all of a sudden you are ‘expected’ to undo a lifetime’s worth of lessons and reinforcement.

I teach in personal safety classes that it is not worth fighting for property, but do fight for your life.  However, you cannot expect to be ready for that type of situation without some pre-planning and preparing yourself mentally.  Before finding yourself in a dangerous, life-threatening situation, build your plan and think about how you would respond physically and what items around you that you may use as a weapon.  A lamp on the desk next to you may suffice, or a chair or table where you are sitting now. 

However, the most important weapon is your mind.  Your plan and mental preparation can make all the difference in a survival situation.  That adds to your determination to come out alive.  If it helps your resolve, remember this fact: 80% of victims who are moved from the point where they are first attacked end up being murdered.  If someone ever attacks you and tries to get you into a car or move you somewhere else, it is an extremely dangerous position and you really have nothing to lose by fighting back with everything that you have no matter what.

In the cases above, the victims did fight back.  From the news stories, we obviously don’t know what forethought the victims had, but still both did whatever they could to fight back.  That is the real lesson in these situations.  When faced with violent acts, be prepared to fight back in any way possible and be determined not to stop until you prevail.

Personal Security – What’s Your Risk? (Part 2)

               I stood peering over a fence post in my backyard to the darkness beyond.  I listened closely, but couldn’t hear anything – now.  I shivered from the cold as I waited.  A few minutes before, I had been inside, working at my desk, when there was the sound of gunshots right out back.  I had immediately turned off the lights in the room and ran upstairs.  My wife had shut off the lights in our room and was peering out back.  It occurred to me that our walls were not very good cover, only concealment.  My wife called the police while I ran back downstairs and outside.

               Sadly, this wasn’t the first time we’ve heard gunshots, but these were close.  As I looked for any movement in the field behind my home, I felt the temptation to jump the fence and head into the field myself.  I knew, though, that I would be exposed in the ribbon of light crossing the street and that the police would arrive soon and I would be stuck explaining who I was, when they could be looking for whoever fired the shots.

               As I waited, I thought of all the times that my wife or I had needed to call the police and we are the type who prefers to deal with problems ourselves whenever possible.  Once again, I wished that we could move to an area not so prone to criminal activity and thought about how our direct environment has an impact on our lives and safety.

               In the last post, “Sleeping With the Enemy?”, we discussed the first part of personal safety and taking a look at the individual risk that we are all exposed to.  Primarily, that is the people around us and the things that we do, something that I call our lifestyle risks.

               Today, we are going to look at other risk factors that have an impact on our safety.  First we will look at environmental risk.  Environmental risk can include a number of areas, but mainly pertains to the area around us, the crime in our neighborhood and the kind of activity that goes on near our homes.

               Look at your home and your neighborhood.  Start with how you feel about your safety.  If you don’t feel safe, your instincts may be warning you about something that you have picked up on subconsciously.

               Are there vacant lots, empty buildings, or abandoned businesses around you?  Any areas not maintained or that show a lack of caring can attract criminal activity.  If the bad guys feel like a property is not cared for, then they may feel like they can get away with whatever they want there. 

               Look at graffiti as well.  It can be “artwork”, but can also be used to send messages.  A dollar sign may indicate drug dealing.  Some graffiti may be used by gangs to mark their territory.  In general, the less ‘artistic’ the graffiti, the more likely it is being used for some more nefarious purpose.

               The other part of your environment is looking at the actual crime happening around your neighborhood.  You can “CSI” your house.  That is not as hard as it sounds.  Most police departments have crime information, even crime maps that allow you to enter your address and look at exactly what type of crime has happened around you.   Often, you can adjust these online crime maps by distances or time period to get a better picture of crime in your area.

               There are also some generic crime statistics or ratings available for whole cities or towns.  The problem with those types of sites is that they will give you a crime rating for your entire city, not just your section.  So if there is a high crime area on the opposite side of your city, but your area is generally much safer, these city-wide crime rates combine or average everything for one score.  This doesn’t really tell you much about your actual neighborhood.

               Even if your local police don’t have a website with crime stats, you can get a great deal of information by calling.  Most departments have crime analysts or community service officers who can help you understand crime in your section of town.  In fact, community service officers are often available to come out to your home and do a mini security survey for free.  They will look at your landscaping, locks on your doors and windows and the lighting around you and give you a few recommendations on what they see.

               That is an overview of environmental crime concerns.  Let’s take a look at work and the related hazards.  Some aspects are comparable to your environmental assessment, looking at some of the same factors on your drive to work and at your work location.  Is there graffiti in the area, or on the drive there?  Do you pass through high-crime neighborhoods?  What about the area where you actually work?  Again, your local police department can help to get a realistic assessment on crime in the area.

               Different industries or different types of jobs will have different risks as well.  For example, if you work alone, carry cash and are out amongst the community, such as a taxi cab driver, you are at a much higher risk of being robbed.  Other industries, such as healthcare, have higher risk of being the victim of assault.  ER staff members deal with substance and drug abuse, as well as mental health patients, which increase the risk of violence behavior. 

               The other aspect of your workplace is violence from co-workers.  This is something that we see every now and again in the news.  Ex-employees coming back and extracting revenge after a bad termination is one example. 

               So how does your company handle terminations?  Do they let people go with dignity or aggravate the situation?  We’ve all had people who have rubbed us the wrong way and know how we are treated can really affect how we feel or how we respond.  How does your company deal with individuals?  Also, having a risk assessment team can help when looking at workplace threats.  Threats can come in very different forms, such as vague, implied threats up to very direct and specific threats.  The more specific a threat, the more seriously it should be taken, although not all aggressors will make a threat before acting.

               Does your company have strict policies prohibiting harassment in the workplace and threatening behavior?  Are those policies enforced?  Be careful about zero tolerance policies – that does not have to mean maximum punishment in every case. 

               Workplace violence is a complex issue and one that will be covered in future posts to look at different aspects, including domestic violence situations spilling over to work.