Often these disputes will not result in serious injury or death. However, security officers will often be notified to report to the location of the disturbance and will be expected to get the situation under control immediately.

The most effective “Crisis Management” approach is the TEAM APPROACH. Management and security should work together as a team. Security is an integral part of that team as they are usually relied upon to physically intervene with the person, if it becomes necessary. Security personnel must remember that the person who called for their assistance in handling a disruptive person situation is ALWAYS the team leader. This leadership may be turned over to security at some point during the crisis but management is ultimately responsible for what occurs.

Security may be asked to assist in this endeavor but is not ultimately responsible and therefore does not always have the final say about what should be done.

Most potentially violent incidents can be handled smoothly if everyone knows their role and performs their function properly. Only one person (designated team leader) should verbally communicate with the potentially violent person. Even if the potentially violent person directs verbal abuse or questions to another person on the scene, including security, that person being spoken to by the potentially violent person MUST NOT RESPOND! The team leader

should respond for him or her by stating that the person must speak with him and no one else. What the person is attempting to do, by trying to get other people talking is to DIVIDE AND CONQUER. If the potentially violent person is successful in getting everyone talking at the same time, he is getting everyone’s attention away from what should be their primary goal, which is to calm or control the person who is potentially violent.