And, like customers anywhere, people who need the services provided by the Federal Government can become frustrated and tense. They may be nervous about their first visit to a Federal Government office. Sometimes they don't understand government procedures and regulations. When all of these stress factors are combined, a person may commit, or threaten to commit, violence. Unless these emotional, angry, or frustrated individuals are handled properly, they may harm you, themselves, or other customers.
Many experts say there is no sure way to prevent acts of violence in a place serving customers.
You and your coworkers also need to know about the enhanced security measures your office can adopt to bring your office and building up to higher standards of security and personal safety. Read this information carefully and discuss the ideas and suggestions with your supervisor and coworkers. The following sections provide three fictional examples to describe the types of threatening or violent behavior that might happen in the Federal workplace. However, they represent the kinds of offices where, because of the nature of their work, employees may be vulnerable to threats or violent incidents. The actions and reactions of the Federal employees portrayed are deliberately exaggerated.