Workplace violence was the subject of the Wednesday, Oct. 20, “Coffee with the Commander” event in Long Beach’s Belmont Shore Area, according to a press release issued by the Belmont Shore Residents Association.
The meeting featured Detective Wendy Starbird of the Long Beach Police Department’s Counterterrorism unit.
Starbird discussed violence in the workplace, which has had an increasing number of incidences in the last few years, one of them in Long Beach. Schools were also included in the lecture because of bullying and the availability of weapons to children.
As times get tougher, Det. Starbird said, problems are carried from the home to the workplace.
She discussed warning signs, including increased belligerence, specific homicidal or suicidal threats, hypersensitivity to criticism, signs of depression, recent acquisition of or fascination with weapons, a perceived obsession with a coworker or supervisor, numerous grievances, angry outbursts, and extreme disorganization.
The individual may believe that work is life (or was life, if the person had been terminated).
He or she may be a loner or have few friends and no support system and may blame others for his or her predicament. There may be a history of violent behavior or excessive drug or alcohol use.
Starbird added that in rare cases, the offender may exhibit no signs at all.
She cited the case of the April 2009 shooting at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.
Threats should be reported to the proper authorities, and watchfulness should be maintained of anyone exhibiting the target behaviors. For the most part, incidents may not be avoidable, and the woulda-coulda-shoulda conversations that take place the day after the incidents may be pointless when you consider the futility of escaping someone in an uncontrollable rage who is firing a weapon.
But the detective did offer a few suggestions:
• Do not sweep your suspicions under the rug. Go to the proper authorities.
• Be discreet when you report an odd behavior. Stick to policy and don’t be responsible for spiraling rumors out of control.
• Be approachable as someone to come to and vent.
• If you have been threatened, look for vulnerabilities in your surroundings, Figure out how to escape. Be careful of routines—vary yours. Immediately report suspicious activity.
• Have a plan. Follow all security policies and look for vulnerabilities. A sad sign of the times are the shooting drills on school sites that are now conducted instead of air raid drills.
• Should the worst happen, fight for your life.
The LBPD Counterterrorism Department can be contacted at (562) 570-7422.
East Division Commander Lisa Lopez handed out a press report detailing the September cat burglaries in the areas of Belmont Shore. Lopez advised residents to keep their doors and windows locked even when home.
