The City of Wetaskiwin has implemented a series of security measures following an alleged violent threat at the city hall.
In a public notice, Sue Howard, city manager wrote that recent events have compelled the city to address certain behaviours that some individuals have brought into the workplace.
The letter further reads that an incident occurred where a citizen, upset over a council decision, threatened violence against City Hall.
While the RCMP investigates the issue, Howard stated that the city has implemented measures at City Hall to control the flow of traffic in our lobby and ensure that both employees and visitors are treated respectfully.
The measures are as follows:
1. Controlled Entrance: The main door is now locked. Clients are encouraged to use the controlled entrance from 50 Avenue. Upon arrival, visitors will need to buzz in, and someone will let them in. The city now is limiting the number of people allowed in at one time and asked residents to be patients.
2. Security Presence: The city has hired a security firm to support the employees in enforcing the city’s expectations for respectful behaviour.
The letter further reads that, “We want to be clear that while it is perfectly acceptable to be upset and we are here to help resolve your concerns where possible, it is absolutely unacceptable to be disrespectful.”
The letter also outlined – what the city deems to be disrespectful behaviours:
Disrespectful Behaviour: Includes workplace harassment and violence, as well as any form of workplace conduct that demeans, intimidates, bullies, slanders, threatens, or otherwise negatively impacts an employee’s dignity or wellbeing. Violence: This includes threatened, attempted, or actual conduct likely to cause physical injury to a person or damage to property, such as:
• Unwelcome, threatening, or intimidating behaviour (e.g., shaking fists, destroying property, throwing objects, verbal or written threats)
• Any expression of intent to inflict harm
• Verbal abuse (e.g., swearing, insults, condescending language) • Physical attacks (e.g., hitting, shoving, pushing, kicking) • Violence occurring off-site at business-related functions or resulting from work-related situations (e.g., a threatening phone call to your home) Workplace Harassment: This includes single or repeated incidents of objectionable or unwelcome conduct, comment, bullying, or actions that a person knows or ought reasonably to know would cause offense or humiliation to a worker or adversely affect their health and safety, including:
• Conduct, comments, bullying, or actions based on race, religious beliefs, color, physical or mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation
• A sexual solicitation or advance
The city has also warned that if any of these boundaries are crossed, the individual will be required to leave the building, and repeated offenses may result in being banned from City facilities. Serious offenses will be reported to the RCMP, the letter elaborated.
By Qiam Noori, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
