Suzy Lamplugh Trust talk - notes & conference links
Notes made from delegate interaction during the session
Risk assessing
Identify the risks we might face. We can think of personal safety risks under three headings (the activity we are doing, the people involved, the place we are in). Examples given by delegates:
Activity
• Public meetings
• Travel to and from
• Canvassing alone
• People objecting to certain activities
• Mediating
• Dealing with complaints
People
• Mental health issues
• Emotional difficulties
• People carrying weapons
• Groups of people
Places
• Living in the community of people who may approach you for assistance
• Visiting higher risk places
• Visiting a variety of place
• Poor mobile signal
• Visiting places we aren’t familiar with
What ideas do we have to guard against those risks? We can ARM ourselves against risk, i.e. think ahead, how could we avoid, reduce, or manage risk in the moment? Some examples for visiting a venue:
Avoid
• Do you need to visit in person?
• Phone call/teams/zoom/letter
Reduce
• Research where you are going
• Get someone to call you during a meeting as a reason to finish/raise the alarm
• Ensure people know where you are and check in and out with them
• Visit in pairs if possible/appropriate
• Where do you park your car? Reverse into spaces, make your exit as easy as possible
• Where are lights/CCTV/people?
• Put a time constraint on the meeting so people have realistic expectations, and you have a reason to make a call/leave if necessary
• Know your exits
• Position yourself so your exits are available
Manage options
• 999
• Have excuses prepared to leave if needed
• Just leave
• Carry a personal alarm – easily found on the internet, should be about 140 decibels to be effective
• Use code words to raise the alarm secretly
Tracing systems – some questions to consider…
• Do people know where I will be? Do I have a calendar that is accessible to others? Can I check in and out with a buddy?
• Would people realise and follow up if I didn’t arrive/return/check in as expected?
• Is there a procedure to follow if I don’t return/check in/as expected, and if I am someone’s else’s buddy what would I do if I didn’t hear from someone as expected?
• Can I raise the alarm covertly if necessary?
• Who would I call in an emergency? Have I memorised any telephone numbers?
• Does the organisation I am representing have up to date contact details for me? Eg phone number, next of kin, car details?
• Does my partner, family or next of kin have details for my organisation if they need to contact them in an emergency eg if I haven’t arrived home as expected? (even if it is outside office hours)
Further reading:
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust does not endorse one device or app or initiative over another as the best app/initiative for one organisation may not be the right one for another, so these are just examples of apps/further information that could potentially be useful.
Downloadable leaflets:
- Downloadable leaflets: https://www.suzylamplugh.org/downloadable-personal-safety-at-work-leaflets
- tips: https://www.suzylamplugh.org/Pages/Category/personal-safety-advice Protecting yourself from crime | Crime prevention | Police.uk (www.police.uk)Tips for dealing with a violent situation | Crime Prevention | Police.uk (www.police.uk)
- Texting the police: http://www.emergencysms.net/ Text BTP on 61016 | British Transport Police
- Silent 999 call (#silentsolution): https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Documents/research- learning/Silent_solution_guide.pdf
- Aggressive dogs: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/behaviour/aggression
- Stalking: https://www.suzylamplugh.org/Pages/Category/national-stalking-helpline Telephone app examples: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/ht208076 https://www.samsung.com/nz/support/mobile-devices/samsung-sos-smart-phone-emergency- message-guide/
- https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/26000049/
- Telephone aggression: http://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/verbal-abuse/
- Reporting: How to report | Police.uk (www.police.uk) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/safety Twitter: https://about.twitter.com/en_gb/safety.html Linkedin: https://safety.linkedin.com/
- What 3 Words (letting people know your exact location wherever you are):
- https://what3words.com/about-us/
- Domestic abuse/asking for help: Pharmacies launch codeword scheme to offer ‘lifeline’ to domestic abuse victims - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Drink spiking: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/staying-safe-while-drinking/drink-spiking-and- date-rape-drugs/
- Volunteers: Volunteering: How to manage the risks - HSE
Day 2 Member peer conference links
- Details of the Sector support offer can be found on the LGA website https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/sector-support-offer
- LGInform report - Link to Headline report for your area, change the areas in the drop down and click apply for your report https://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/view/lga-research/lga-research-report-headline- report-bar-charts?mod-area=E07000111&mod- group=AllDistrictInRegion_SouthEast&mod-type=namedComparisonGroup
- With EDI raised as a core priority area, if colleagues are interested in learning more about our EDI resources support available through the LGA, please do visit our EDI hub, which will continue to be expanded on in the future: https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-hub
- Civility in public life call for evidence: Abuse and intimidation of councillorshttps://research.local.gov.uk/jfe/form/SV_eW040OelDMZvuqW
- Civility in public life https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/guidance-and-resources/civility-public-life
- Upcoming event - Personal safety for councillors, Wednesday 8 December 2021, 10.30am - 12.00pm - https://lgaevents.local.gov.uk/lga/1342/home
- The call for evidence launched on the 25 October. The article Cllr Prior mentioned is online herehttps://www.lgafirst.co.uk/features/a-threat-to-local-democracy/
- British Transport police text number 61016