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City of Bellevue
Policy Against Workplace Violence

The City of Bellevue is committed to providing, in so far as it reasonably can do so within available resources, a safe environment for working and conducting business. The City will not tolerate acts of violence committed by or against City employees, or members of the public, while on City of Bellevue property or while performing City of Bellevue business at other locations.

The word violence in this policy shall mean an act or behavior that:

• is physically assaultive;
• a reasonable person would perceive as obsessively directed, e.g. intensely focused on a grudge, grievance, or romantic interest in another person, and reasonably likely to result in harm or threats of harm to persons or property;
• consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to harm another individual or in any way endanger the safety of an individual;
• would be interpreted by a reasonable person as carrying potential for physical harm to the individual;
• is a behavior, or action, that a reasonable person would perceive as menacing;
• involves carrying or displaying weapons, destroying property, or throwing objects in a manner reasonably perceived to be threatening; or
• consists of a communicated or reasonably perceived threat to destroy property.

Violent actions on City property or facilities, or while on City business, will not be tolerated or ignored. Any unlawful violent actions committed by employees or members of the public while on City property, or while using City facilities, will be prosecuted as appropriate. The City intends to use reasonable legal, managerial, administrative, and disciplinary procedures to secure the workplace from violence and to reasonably protect employees and members of the public.

Policy Goals and Objectives

The objective of this policy is to achieve the following:

1. reduce the potential for violence in and around the workplace;
2. encourage and foster a work environment that is characterized by respect and healthy conflict resolution; and
3. mitigate the negative consequences for employees who experience or encounter violencein their work lives.

Possession and Use of Dangerous Weapons by Employees

Prohibition

In the interest of maintaining a workplace that is safe and free of violence, except as hereinafter provided, possession or use of dangerous weapons is prohibited on City property, in City vehicles or in any personal vehicle which is used for City business.

Dangerous Weapons Defined

A dangerous weapon is any instrument capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that manifests an intent to harm or intimidate another person or that warrants alarm for the safety of another person. Dangerous weapons are further defined by RCW 9.41.

Exceptions to Dangerous Weapons Prohibitions

Employees of the City of Bellevue may possess a firearm on City property if:

• engaged in military or law enforcement activities;
• legally in possession of a firearm for which the employee holds a valid permit and said firearm is secured within an attended personal vehicle or concealed from view within a locked unattended personal vehicle while that person is working on City property.

Responsibilities

Employees

All employees are responsible for:

• refraining from acts of violence and for seeking assistance to resolve personal issues that may lead to acts of violence in the workplace; and
• reporting to managers and supervisors any dangerous or threatening situations that occur in the workplace.

Employees are encouraged to report to their managers/supervisors situations that occur outside of the workplace which may affect workplace safety, i.e., instances where protection orders have been issued, etc.

Managers/Supervisors

Managers and supervisors are responsible for assessing situations, making judgments on the appropriate response, and then responding to reports of or knowledge of violence and for initiating the investigation process.

• Any report of violence, will be evaluated immediately and confidentially, and appropriate action will be taken, where possible, in order to protect the employee from further violence. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken when it is determined that City of Bellevue employees have committed acts of violence.
• Where issues of employee safety are of concern, managers and supervisors should evaluate the workplace and make appropriate recommendations regarding a reasonable response.

The City Manager

In so far as is reasonably possible, the City Manager, or the City Manager's designee, is responsible for developing procedures that are designed to reasonably achieve:

• prompt and appropriate response to any act of violence;
• accountability among employees for acts of violence committed in the workplace;
• establishment of oversight of investigations of violence;
• establishment of a Crisis Management Team to provide immediate response to serious incidents;
• establishment of avenues of support for employees who experience violence; and
• communication of this policy and administrative procedures to employees, managers and supervisors.

Achieving Goals and Evaluating Progress

To achieve the goals and objectives of this policy, the City intends to do the following:

• establish procedures and methods for implementing policies and for addressing violence in the workplace;
• provide training to managers, supervisors, and other employees;
• evaluate the physical environment for safety and consider modifications; and
• evaluate progress in achieving the goals and objectives of this policy.

Procedures for Dealing With Acts of Violence in the Workplace

Guidelines

When a violent act occurs:

• If the act or altercation constitutes an emergency, CALL 911. In instances that are not emergency situations, contact your immediate manager or supervisor. When 911 is contacted, contact an immediate manager or supervisor after contacting 911.
• If possible, separate the parties involved in the violent altercation. If the parties cannot be separated, or it would be too dangerous to the employee or manager to attempt to separate the parties, CALL 911.
• Contact the appropriate Department Director.
• The Department Director will contact the Human Resources Director, who will take responsibility for coordinating response to the incident.
• In instances that involve emergency situations, or criminal activity, the Human Resources Director will contact the City Manager and the Police Department. Incidents involving emergency situations and/or criminal activity will be referred to the Police Department for assessment and, if necessary, investigation.
• In instances when it is not appropriate to refer an incident to the Police Department, the Human Resources Director will evaluate the situation and make a recommendation regarding the need for an investigation. If an internal investigation is recommended, the Human Resources Director will coordinate the investigation process.

Conducting an Investigation

Incidents involving emergency and/or criminal activity will be referred to the Police Department for investigation. Incidents that do not involve an emergency situation, and/or criminal activity, will be handled by the Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Director, in consultation with the City Manager's Office, will determine whether an investigation is needed and who will conduct the investigation.

1. Data Collection

There are great liabilities and legal implications associated with violent behavior in the workplace, therefore, before beginning any investigation, consult with higher management and the Human Resources Department.

The investigation that you conduct could lead to disciplinary action; please be sensitive to the rights of all persons involved and proceed in a manner that demonstrates objectivity, fairness and a concern for confidentiality. Remember, Document all aspects of your investigation.

2. Interview with the Alleged Victim

When talking with the alleged victim, speak clearly and non-judgmentally. Approach the interview in a sensitive, supportive manner. The goal of the interview is to develop a true and accurate account of the incident.

• Obtain the date/time of the violent incident.
• Find answers to the questions: who, what, when and where. Find out what specifically happened in this and any other incidents.
• Determine the background of the situation, including the relationship between the parties before the incident.
• Obtain the names of anyone else who:
• Saw or heard the incident
• The person has talked with about the incident
• The person believes has also had encounters with the alleged offender.
• Find out what the person did in response to the violent encounter.
• Find out whether the person has documented the incident, or any other violent encounters that the person has had with the alleged offender.
• Reassure the person that the City is actively responding to the incident and that any retaliation will not be tolerated.
3. Interview With the Alleged Offender

Approach the interview in a non-judgmental, sensitive manner. Keep in mind that a person is innocent until proven at fault. Unreasonable assumptions of guilt before an investigation has been completed can impede an appropriate investigation.

• If the alleged offender is a member of a City bargaining unit and asks for union representation, allow it.
• Present the incident or incidents described by the victim, or your own observations if you directly saw the incident.
• Get the alleged offender's side of the story.
• Investigate with such questions as:
• "Describe the incident that occurred between you and the victim."
• "Describe your relationship with the victim and other interactions that you have had."
• Listen attentively as the alleged offender talks.
• Advise the offender of the seriousness of any form of retaliation against the recipient/victim, or any action that might be interpreted as retaliation.
4. Interviews with Observers or Others in the Workplace

In your investigation, realize that observers may also be disturbed by the violent interaction they have witnessed.

Investigate with questions such as:

• What type of interaction did you observe between the offender and victim?
• Are there others who might be able to comment, or who observed the same incident?

Approved

___________________________
STEPHEN C. BAUER, City Manager

Date:__________________