245City Of Anaheim Administrative Regulation
CHAPTER 2 - EMPLOYMENT PROCEDURES
Subject: Anti -Violence Policy A.R. 245
Issue Date: Feb. 1,1996
Revised: August 4, 2010
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Purpose:
The purpose of this Administrative Regulation is to establish a zero tolerance policy
prohibiting workplace violence to protect the health and safety of employees and the
general public.
It is the policy of City of Anaheim that violence or threats of violence in the workplace,
whether implied or explicit, shall not be tolerated. There is no excuse for and there
shall be no tolerance of acts of violence or threats of violence by anyone at any level in
the City, and there is no excuse for and there shall be no tolerance of harassment,
intimidation, threats, or bullying.
This policy applies to all employees of the City of Anaheim.
Discipline:
Any violation of this policy by a City employee shall result in disciplinary action up to
and including termination.
Definition:
Violence is defined as any act intended to inflict physical harm, or an explicit or implied
expression of intent to inflict physical harm to any person or property. The following are
examples of behaviors that are prohibited under this policy:
Threat or acts of physical force and/or assault, including pushing, shoving, slapping,
hitting, punching, or striking.
Threatening conduct such as attempts to instill fear in another, menacing gestures,
stalking, brandishing weapons, including tools and equipment, as if intending to cause
physical harm.
Verbal and/or written harassment designed to intimidate or instill fear in others, such as
harassing phone calls, letters or notes.
Making direct or veiled verbal threats of physical harm to individuals or groups, or to
another's personal property, or to City property. For example, "bad things are going to
happen to so and so" or "that propane tank in the back could blow up easily".
City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation 245
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Verbal and/or written harassment designed to provoke violence or loss of emotional
control in another, such as taunting, holding another up to ridicule, or remarks which
demean another.
Each department may implement a Critical Incident Plan (CIP) establishing guidelines
and steps to respond to potentially violent situations and to minimize the risk of
escalating threatening situations. The CIP shall be implemented if any threats, implied or
explicit, or intimidating behavior or comments are made by an employee or the general
public. The CIP may include the items listed in the Department Critical Incident Plan
Checklist..
Procedure:
In the event of actual violence in the workplace by either an employee or a member of
the public, immediately notify the Anaheim Police Department at #9-911 and take
appropriate safeguards to protect life and property (see CIP for detailed information).
Responsibility:
Every employee shall comply with the provisions of this policy as a condition of
continued employment.
Supervisors are responsible for making subordinates aware of this policy by:
Educating employees about the issue of workplace violence; attending training to
perceive problem conditions and manage developing conflicts; careful screening and
selection of new employees; facilitating communication between employees and
supervisor/managers; development of a confidential process that allows employees to
report threatening circumstances and potential problems; referral of employees to
Employee Assistance Program — to facilitate employees with personal problems seeking
professional help; using "people -sensitive" processes for potentially negative
circumstances, such as dismissals or layoffs/reassignments.
If a City employee becomes aware of a threat to self or others, the employee shall
immediately notify a supervisor or manager. No influence will be used to suppress any
complaint. No employee will be subject to retaliation or reprisal for filing a legitimate
complaint or for cooperating as a witness.
In the event of a violent act or an explicit or implied threat, the supervisor or responsible
manager shall conduct a timely and impartial investigation of the incident.
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Investigation of a violent act or an explicit or implied threat will be handled
confidentially. The investigation should include:
Information from any witnesses
What was said and heard when the threat was made
Who was the perpetrator of the incident
Who else was present
What exactly happened
Why the threat was made
When the violation occurred
Where the violation occurred
How did the recipient/witnesses react
If the accusation of violence or a threat is substantiated, any proposed discipline will be
reviewed by the City's Labor Relations representative. Based upon the degree of severity
of a proven incident, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including
termination.
If an accusation of violence or a threat is not substantiated, the person initiating the
accusation will be counseled regarding the potential impact of a false accusation on
his/her career and the career of the accused. The accused should be notified that the
accusation was not substantiated.
Individuals who retaliate against any person who has reported an alleged violent act or an
explicit or implied threat, regardless of whether the retaliation takes place on City
property or City time, will be subject to serious disciplinary action.
Individuals who falsely accuse a person of violence or threat of violence that is proven to
be malicious and intentional will be subject to serious disciplinary action.
Supervisor shall debrief/advise affected employees of the progress/resolution of the
incident.
When appropriate, the supervisor may remove an employee from the workplace in
accordance with Removal From Workplace Employee Unfit for Duty A.R. 277, pending
completion of the investigation.
A site -security assessment will be conducted by each department, in conjunction with the
Police Department, as a preventative measure before problems arise.
City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation 245
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DEPARTMENT CRITICAL INCIDENT PLAN CHECKLIST
*The following items must be addressed in department CIP
PREVENTATIVE PLAN
Employee education and awareness
Investigate all complaints
Take prompt action
Establish documentation
CITY/DEPARTMENT POLICIES/PROCEDURES
Existing policies/procedures
Termination process
EMPLOYEE SELECTION GUIDELINES
Pre employment screening
Reference check
Background check, criminal history, and psychological testing
(Contact HRD to consider for certain positions)
EMPLOYEE AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING
Assessing and reporting threatening behavior
Detecting violent behavior
Responding to violent behavior
Investigating incidents
CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Team makeup
Team role
Training/education
Documentation/incident review
Resolution of incident
CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN
Who to call
Chain of command
Detain the perpetrator
What to do/not to do
Critical incident debriefing
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MANAGING DAMAGE CONTROL
Crisis "communication" plan
Who to notify-internal/external
Primary spokesperson
Rumor control
Communication/early and often
LIABILITY ISSUES
Employer's legal responsibilities
Negligent hiring
Negligent retention
Worker's compensation issues
ASSESS SITE SECURITY
Site audit
Lighting
Employee education
Restricted areas
Monitored access
Working alone
Keyless door entry
FUTURE PREVENTION STRATEGIES
Review all incidents
Recommend changes, if necessary
Implement changes
Attachments: None