Police & work

[camdenn]

Hi, I reported someone to the police and feel a bit anxious about it.

I work in public sector and a service user has been harassing colleagues, seeking their personal information and being racist and sexist.

The police are going to call me to discuss this week and I feel a bit anxious, aibu? The police are likely not going to arrest the person. Work has never given training on how to liaise with the police and I don’t want to do the wrong thing in case this goes further. eg no training on what counts as a data protection breach in these circumstances. My manager asked me to ”log it”, I wasn’t expecting the police to want to discuss it, thought they’d just file it based on what my manager said.

I have an ongoing case with the police in my personal life (as a victim) so I don’t want them recognising me or linking the incidents either. I have never needed to contact the police as an employee so I’m not sure if they would handle this separately or if they may accidentally reference my previous report?

Do you work in mental health?

How has the person been harassing your colleagues? What evidence do you have?

How have you met the person?

How have they been racist and sexist as well, and again, what evidence do you have?

it all depends on context - is your username a link to the area?

It also depends if you live and work in the same place and who you have reported things with, whether you have a criminal record etc

This is the problem with 'logging it' its really not a thing. If you report something that's a crime or potentially a crime Police need to follow it up.

I hate when people on here advise people to log things, when they really don't understand how the system works

Your other case will have no bearing on this. Its unlikely the officers dealing with your work issue will even know about the other case.

Hi, I have not posted any identifying information so far and will not, so can’t answer your questions about evidence or details. That wasn’t really the point of my post. I have no criminal record

No worries - wondered if it was related to all the stuff going on at the Tavistock with the username - a lot of gids staff gave what you describe

police May well have access to your details - there’s too many variables in this.

good luck

I have to give statements to police occasionally as part of my job. It's completely separate to your personal life. The police come and talk to you and decide whether you need to make a formal statement. You can use your work address and contact number. If they do need a statement they will write it for you. It usually goes something like this, I'm going to pretend to be a baker you just change the job and duties etc

' I am a baker, I have been a baker for 12 years. My duties involve baking bread. Yesterday a man I know as John Smith came and threw all my bread into the back yard. I have known John Smith for five years, he is a regular customer and I talk to him every week and can easily recognise him. I have now lost all my bread and this has cost me about £100. I did not give anyone permission to throw my bread in the yard. I would like to make a victim personal statement. This has made me feel very upset, I have lost money and my customers won't get their bread. I'm very angry at John Smith'

Also why are the police unlikely to arrest the person?

This sounds like it could be stalking. Each victim needs to give a statement but they can be tied together as related cases. Mention stalking to the police as sometimes things get flagged as single incidents of malicious communications or other offences and miss the 'course of conduct' which is required for stalking.

Stalking can be related to mental health conditions, learning disability or ASD. Equally people with none of these conditions can engage in stalking behaviour and most people with these conditions do not ever stalk anyone. Mental health/LD/ASD is not a defence to stalking and does not prevent prosecution. Conviction opens up disposals such as mental health treatment requirements and hospital orders so it definitely doesn't mean a person will go to prison. The police can apply for a Stalking Protection Order whether or not they plan to seek a charge. It is a civil order but breach of the order is a criminal offence.

If I were you, I'd call the national stalking helpline for some support and advice. If your organisation has a named police officer then you could contact them. Also raise it as a datix/incident within your organisation. Your organisation has a duty to you and your colleagues. While obviously they can't stop every incident, they do need to support you and take steps to try manage repeated harassment and any risks.

www.suzylamplugh.org/pages/category/national-stalking-helpline

P.S. They won't link it with your other case in your personal life where you are a victim

Wow that took no time. These peeps never miss an opportunity

@Orangepolentacake - how do you mean that took no time?

The OP has the username Camden(n) which is where Tavistock is based - many of us related to organisations like the Tavi and going through hellish issues with things related to this - patients and staff.

I do know there is some guidance for some people being shared... but unsure if it's all levels.

ZELLIEMCNELLIE
Is it a mental health hospital where a patient has assaulted staff?
If so, its unlikely an arrest will be made as you are having to move a person from a secure place of safety into custody - they are going to have to go back to the hospital anyway. Chances are they will be offered an opportunity to be interviewed as a voluntary interview at the hospital.

There are so many organisations in Camden, or the username has nothing to do with where OP lives or works (more likely, given the nature of the post). Yet you somehow managed to insert the Tavistock into it… so random

@ZELLIEMCNELLIE The OP said public sector, not NHS. There are loads. Multiple local authority teams for both adults and children, two mental health trusts with many inpatient and community teams, (CANDI and Tavistock and Portman which has many more services than just GIDS), housing and homelessness teams, ASB teams, domestic abuse services...

Don’t overthink this, make the report, tell the police what has been going on. If they need personal details related to the offender beyond name, ask them to complete a data protection form. Easily done.

Your colleagues can presumably speak for themselves.

PP is right, there is no such thing as logging something. If you report a crime they will record it appropriately. If your/your colleagues don’t want to take any action then tell them that, if you just want offender warned, tell them so, they will take your views into account. I would argue it is up to your colleagues what action they wish to take if they are the ones being harassed.

In relation to your personal matter, they may well be able to tell you have an ongoing matter with them, but it is irrelevant in these circumstances and would be treated as such.

Agree - huge jump from possible Camden connection (an area of London that is home to many many public organisations including multiple hospitals) to they-must-work-at-the-Tavistock - v wierd assumption to make.

The police will be used to people being nervous. Just tell them whay you know. Let them do the police work.

Did your manager tell you to contact the police yourself? If you've had no training, especially data protection, tell your manager that you need advice on how to handle this.

Just make sure you have the facts of what happened to hand , what you know personally and be wary of wandering into information you can't substantiate. It'll be fine and hopefully it will help with what ever is happening.

Are you in a union? When I had a similar work situation, a union rep supported me.