Frontline Threat Management

GROUP 1: RECEPTION, PA AND ADMIN STAFF

This group of people are the first to engage with persons entering a facility and therefore are the first to be exposed to any concerning behaviour and respond to the concerning behaviour, before security staff intervene.

Typically, such staff indicate that while they have had customer-service training, they haven’t received training on how to deal with ‘difficult’ persons who enter the facility. Training can help skill all reception and admin staff to deal with such persons.

MODULE (1): DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL PEOPLE

What are threats and why should we worry about them? 
What do emotional people want?
Communication barriers 
Body language/ non-verbal
De-escalating emotions

MODULE (2): RESPONDING TO VERBAL THREATS

Concerning words/phrases to look for
How to react:
Practical issues
Dealing with provocation

MODULE (3): RECOGNISING BASIC MENTAL ILLNESS SIGNS

Signs and symptoms of mental illness
How to respond to people who may be mentally unstable

GROUP 2: SECURITY STAFF

This group of people wait in the wings, until they notice something concerning or are called to intervene by reception and admin staff. Their standard procedure is to approach the problem and simultaneously notify their control room, whereupon an individual from the control room will attend. They are therefore initially exposed to problematic situations, at least until the control room staff intervene, and assist further if necessary.

MODULE (3): RECOGNISING BASIC MENTAL ILLNESS SIGNS

Signs and symptoms of mental illness
How to respond to people who may be mentally unstable

MODULE (4): ENTERING INTO AN ESCALATING SITUATION

Signs that another member of staff requires assistance 
When should you intervene? 
How to approach an unhappy customer 
Understanding when your presence escalates a situation and what to do 
Dealing with provocation 
Verbal de-escalation skills