Workplace violence is the topic of session

Pottstown police share information and tips for local employers

Information and tips about workplace violence were presented at a TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce seminar.

POTTSTOWN>> Two million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year.

That’s why Pottstown Police Sgt. Edward Kropp and Officer Gregory Fritz made a point to present important information and tips about workplace violence at a TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce seminar on workplace safety Tuesday morning.

The presentation largely focused on the steps businesses can take to ensure that they and their employees are safe fromall kinds of workplace violence threats.

“Security starts with yourselves,” said Fritz, a 29-year veteran of law enforcement. “You have to be aware of your surroundings ... Know your alarms and security systems.”

“Criminals will take the path of least resistance,” added Kropp, a 13-year veteran with law enforcement. “You hear a lot about burglaries, thefts and if you look at the statistics, you’ll see most of them are things like unlocked cars. There’s enough crime going around that can be prevented just by securing your belongings.”

The session was a first for the chamber on this topic, according to president Eileen Dautrich, who said the organization has done sessions on workplace injuries in the past — but not violence.

Dautrich said she first got the idea while at a state conference, where she heard about similar efforts at another chamber.

“That idea was going through my head; but what brought it home for me was the story about a reporter and cameraman who

were shot — they were interviewing an chamber executive. It can happen to anybody,” she said. That incident happened in Virginia in August, when local television reporter Alison Parker and her cameraman Adam Ward were shot and killed by a former coworker while reporting live. Vicki Garner, a local chamber executive being interviewed by Parker was injured

in the shooting.

Dautrich added that she reached out to Pottstown Police Chief Richard Drumheller — who offered the presentation.

Tips the officers provided included installing cameras and lighting around businesses as well as working with solicitors on what practices are best applied to specified businesses.

“Administrators should set up policies or guidelines for what you should do. Business owners can even work with solicitors

on what’s best for your business,” explained Fritz.

Along with adopting guidelines, police also suggested safety education for staff. Educational courses could include instructing employees on important practices such as avoiding areas that feel unsafe, equipping staff with cell phones or other communication devices and even altering schedules for vendors on a daily basis to avoid potential criminals from detecting patterns.

A larger portion of the presentation involved

procedures and advice when faced with an active shooter incident at the workplace.

According to statistics given by the officers, there have been 160 incidents involving active shooters over the past 13 years in the United States. Sixty percent of those incidents ended before police arrived, which is why knowing how to respond proved an essential part of the presentation.

Police offered advice including how to catch potential violence ahead of time

and how to respond when law enforcement arrives as well as discussing, in depth, when victims should run, hide and fight. While running or hiding should always be a victim’s first two options, police said, fighting is equally important when the need arises.

“You’re fighting for your life. You’re fighting for everything important in your life,” said Fritz. “God forbid you’re ever in that situation, you need to be in that mind set.”

“We weren’t trying to scare anyone, but we obviously

hit a nerve with some membership— which is what we’re tying to do,” Dautrich said, adding that about 15members attended the session.

Businesses can learn more about preventing workplace violence by visiting the Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov. Businesses can also offer active shooter training to their employees by visiting www.alicetraining.com.