Prevention
- Control or limit access to work areas, limit areas to authorized persons and during non-business hours
- Lock desk, cabinets, storage and office doors
- Ensure front office or reception areas are always staffed
- Ask all staff to wear their PSU ID badge in a visible location
- DO NOT leave belongings unattended
- Offer assistance to strangers or unfamiliar persons
- Acknowledge co-workers
Response
Threatening Behavior
If you find yourself engaging with someone exhibiting threatening behaviors, communication is critical. When possible, use these de-escalation tips to help navigate the situation.
- Remain as calm as possible, avoid overreacting
- Be non-judgemental in your verbal and non-verbal communication
- Ignore challenging questions and behaviors
- Respect personal space by keeping distance between you
- Allow silence for reflection on the situation, both for yourself and the person exhibiting threatening behavior
- Attempt to exit the encounter by:
- Offering to go get a co-worker to join the conversation (which will make sure you are not alone) or suggest the person seeks a different campus resource that might have more resources
- Asking to schedule a formal time to meet, or to reschedule until all have calmed down
Phone or Digital Threats
Often, these types of threats may seem like a joke or spam, but you should still treat these as a genuine threat, and report them, even if you are not sure about the person’s intent.
If you find an emailed, social media, or other digital threat:
- Keep it accessible or take a photo
- Notify CPSO at 5-5911
If someone calls in a threat:
- If you are able to do so, record the call
- Write exactly what the caller says — ask them to repeat the information
- Try to keep the caller speaking — ask questions if necessary
- Write down any background noises (other voices, cars, music, etc)
- Write down any distinct characteristics of the callers voice (tone, emotion, dialect, etc)
- If the caller hangs up, keep your end of the call active if possible (cell phones may automatically disconnect)
- Write down the duration of the call and when the call ended
Points of Contact
Call or text: 911
PSU Emergency: 503-725-5911
PSU Non-Emergency: 503-725-4407