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Should I be concerned about workplace violence? YES! Workplace violence, and the trauma caused by such events, continues to be the leading concern of Security Managers at America's largest corporations according to "Top-Security Threats," a survey of Fortune 1000 Companies by Pinkerton's.

Workplace violence won't happen to me... will it? It's very difficult to predict and never completely preventable. Violence in the workplace is a serious threat to the physical safety of workers and management--not just the success of the business.

Why is workplace violence such an important issue? Over 2,000,000 incidents per year are recorded. Homicide has become the second leading cause of workplace death...with about 20 workers murdered...plus an additional 18,000 workers assaulted every week (USDOJ/OSHA). Each day 16,400 threats are made, 723 workers are attacked and 43,800 are harassed (Workplace Violence Research Institute). A study by a major life insurance company found that one in four full-time workers has been harassed, threatened or attacked, and that co-workers accounted for most of the harassment followed by customers.

Does a co-worker's domestic affair concerns, affect me? Yes. Employees were victimized in acts of violence by a spouse, ex-spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend or relative in nearly one out of every ten violent incidents according to SHRM's 1999 Workplace Violence Survey.

What is a good workplace violence program? A good program should include comprehensive steps to reduce the risk of all types of potential workplace violence; from armed robbery to an upset employee to domestic violence. Planning, awareness and training are keys to a good strategy.

Here are some interesting workplace violence statistics!

• Highly stressed workers experience twice the rate of violence and harassment as less stressed employees.
• Homicide is reported to be the third leading cause of death on the job for men and the primary cause for women.
• Workplace violence leads to increased medical and stress-related disability claims, lower productivity, higher turnover and possibly greater legal liability for the employer.
• 11,000 serious incidents occur each year.
• Third leading cause of occupational death
• 48% occur in the south.  24% in the west.  19% north central.  8% northeast.
• Leading cause of death in the workplace for women.
• Each year there are 1100 assaults; 1000 homicides; 875 shootings; 700 stabbings and 210 suicides.
• The average cost of a workplace violence incident is $250,000.

Myths about workplace violence:

• Workplace or school violence is a direct outgrowth of mental illness or emotional disturbance.  Reality:  Workplace or school violence rarely has to do  with DSM disorders.

• A Violence Risk Assessment is the same as a Mental Health Assessment.  Reality:  They are TOTOALLY different.

• Even if you can identify violent individuals, there is nothing you can do about it.  Reality: Intervention works.

Are you licensed? Is a professional license required? Yes. A simple business license is not sufficient. As required by law, we are licensed in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Alaska to conduct private investigations. Several other states offer reciprocity. Don't let an investigator convince you that they do not need professional licensing. It would be unfortunate and potentially embarrassing if the work that was performed for you was thrown out in court because they did not have the appropriate professional licensing.

I need you in State other than were you are licensed.  Can you work there?  Most likely, YES!  Many states offer some form of reciprocity to any one or more of the states in which we have license.  For those few states that do not offer reciprocity, over the years we have developed relationships with other investigative companies that share the same business model, ethical and professional standards as do we.

Can't I just find the information I need online? It's true that great strides have been made to place public record information online in many locations. However, most of these databases are index systems that simply identify the existence of a record and often provide minimal details. Although an individual may have an idea of the type of information they want, they may not know what to look for and where to look for it. Often the information provided is so loaded with non-critical information that it is impossible to wade through it. After helping you determine your objective, we will use our years of expertise in the investigative and research profession to find, analyze, and relay the information to you in a concise, understandable format.

How much do you charge?  Our Fee Schedule is available upon request.  Please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with a free quote. Because of often uncovered variables, it is difficult to always give an exact number.  However, we do our best to give you an accurate cost analysis before we get started. Communicating with clients is one of our strongest points.  You will have authority over a budget and the extent of information collected.

Even with our decades of combined research and data mining experience, we have found our rates to be very competitive and affordable compared to other private investigators. We've been providing superior customer service at industry average prices since 1991!  Because of our varied backgrounds and expertise in other areas, we feel we give you even more bang for your buck. No case is too big or too small.

Do you travel out of state or out of the country? Yes, we have been as far away as South America for our customers. It is not unusual to travel as far as the southern states or the east coast. We are well-traveled throughout the West and Alaska.

Why should we send you go out-of-state if we can call another company closer? It is not uncommon for us to travel out-of-state for both our local customers as well as those in other areas. We have built years of trust and confidence with our clients. They know our capabilities and have seen our quality product time and time again. What this boils down to is that you know us and trust that we will work in their best interest.

Additionally, when we receive an assignment that requires travel, we frequently notify other clients who have that same geographical area of responsibility to see if we can share travel costs. Often, to your benefit, we are able to reduce the bottom line. 

You have further questions? ...well, we have answers.  Please call us at (253) 852-7000.  Our office hours are 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays. When calling after-hours or by chance you arrive at voice mail, our 24 hour on-duty investigator will return your call at the earliest opportunity.

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