INFORMATION SHEET No. 1
- Worksites inside the National Office (Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area), including the South, Whitten, and Cotton Annex Building Complex and USDA satellite locations.
- Worksites outside the National Office (except overseas).
It is a critical incident in which a serious, direct or implied threat of violence has been made, and/or violence appears imminent or is in progress.
- first take steps to ensure their personal safety, then call for assistance
- then contact local security and/or law enforcement personnel for assistance
Contact the USDA Security Control Center at 202-690-0869 USDA Special Police Officers are commissioned with police powers by the District of Columbia. The USDA Security Control Center can also obtain assistance from the Federal Protective Service (FPS), if needed. Per USDA Security, FPS should never be contacted from the South, Whitten, and Cotton Annex Building Complex without prior notification of the USDA Security Control Center at 2020-690-0869.
If contact is made with FPS or the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), notification must be made as soon as possible to management and the USDA Security Control Center at 202-690-0869, or TDD at (to be filled in), open 24 hours per day, 7 days week, or the USDA Protective Operations Branch at 202-720-7270 or TDD at 301-763-0126.
- FPS at 202-708-1111 or TDD at 301-763-0126, and MPD at 911, have concurrent jurisdiction at all USDA satellite locations, which means that either agency can be called to respond to an emergency.
- In severe cases of violence, call 911 for assistance; other contact FPS.
- In offices under the General Services Administration (GSA) umbrella
FPS and local law enforcement personnel often have concurrent jurisdiction. This means that either agency can be called to respond to an emergency. However, in an emergency, employees should immediately call 911 from any USDA site, since local law enforcement personnel are usually able to respond more quickly. If local law enforcement personnel are called, management should follow up by notifying FPS and the local USDA Office of Inspector (OIG) Regional Office, following local established procedure.
- In privately leased space, not under the GSA umbrella
Local law enforcement has jurisdiction. Employees should call 911 for assistance.
Managers at USDA sites outside the National Office are expected to verify which law enforcement agency is responsible for responding to an emergency (for example, sheriff's office or police department) and to notify employees in writing of this information. In some jurisdictions, law enforcement personnel have a different emergency number other than 911. This information should be verified by supervisors/managers and provided in writing to employees.
If local law enforcement is contacted, notification should be made as soon as possible (following established local and national protocol) to management, the local USDA OIG Regional Office, and FPS.
THE FFAS WVP AND EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COORDINATORS PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IN WORKPLACE VIOLENCE SITUATIONS NATIONWIDE.
IN A WORKPLACE VIOLENCE EMERGENCY, I AM EXPECTED TO FIRST TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE MY PERSONAL SAFETY, THEN CALL FOR ASSISTANCE, THEN CONTACT MANAGEMENT.
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