Reporting a Concern or Incident
There are four main components to an effective violence prevention and response program
- Identifying the kind of behaviors that indicate that the potential for violence exists.
- Taking immediate and effective action to report concerns about potentially violent situations.
- Assessing the situation to develop the most appropriate response or violence avoidance strategy.
- Implementing the plan.
Of these steps "reporting" may be the most critical. It is critical that you report any situation that you believe has the potential for violence. It is only after a report is received that the matter can be evaluated and an appropriate response developed.
Urgent and Imminent Threats
Step 1: Call 911
Step 2: Once safe, call the Violence Prevention and Response Team at 425-352-SAFE (425-352-7233).
Step 3: Report the situation to your supervisor or the head of your unit.
Potential or Suspected Threats
Step 1: Call 425-352-SAFE (425-352-7233) to report the situation to the Violence Prevention and Response Team.
Step 2: Report the situation to your supervisor or the head of your unit.
What Happens Next
Intake
The Violence Prevention and Response Program provides centralized intake and response to non emergency calls of actual and potential threats of violence. The Violence Prevention and Response Team answers 425-352-SAFE (352-7233) Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Harborview Medical Center Community Care Line answers night and weekend calls.
The coordinator you will speak with will want to know:
- what happened
- when it happened
- who was involved
- whether there were injuries
- whether the police were called
- what the police did and what instructions they gave, if any
Assessment
Depending on the situation, there may be immediate planning to identify a safe situation for a person who may be at risk. The Violence Prevention and Response Team will evaluate the need for a formal threat assessment where representatives of appropriate UW departments participate. The Assessment Team includes members from: UW Police, the Attorney General's Office, and the Violence Prevention & Response Program. Other participants are included depending on the situation. For students, the Counseling Center and Student Life or the Graduate School also participate. For faculty and staff members, UW CareLink, UW Human Resources or Academic Human Resources, and the affected department participate on the Assessment Team.
Implementation
The assessment process allows for a coordinated review of the situation, with each participant bringing specialized knowledge to bear on the issue. The end product is a comprehensive issue management and risk abatement plan. Callers are connected with on and off campus resources that fit their situation.
The Violence Prevention and Response Program monitors outcomes and can reconvene the threat assessment team to re-evaluate a situation as necessary.
See "About SafeCampus" to learn more about the Violence Prevention and Response Program.