Hartlepool Borough Council launches respect campaign after 'unprecedented' increase in abuse of staff

Gill Alexander, the Chief Executive of Hartlepool Borough Council says abuse of council staff will not be tolerated. Picture by FRANK REID

Hartlepool Borough Council has launched the Respect: Everyone Deserves It campaign after workers have been spat, shouted and screamed at, and subjected to violence and intimidation.

Reported incidents have gone up 400% over the last four years with 193 reports of violence and aggression towards staff in 2018/19, more than four times higher than the 46 incidents in 2015/16.

And cases for the last year are expected to top 222 by the end of this month.

The authority is saying ‘enough is enough’, and are promising to take action against perpetrators wherever possible including prosecution.

Council Chief Executive Gill Alexander said: “The time has come to say enough is enough and that we are not prepared to tolerate such behaviour.

“As a Council, good customer service is at the heart of everything we do and in return all we ask is that our staff are treated with dignity and respect. Sadly, that is not always the case.

“We want people who abuse our staff to be in no doubt that we will take strong action against them, including prosecution.”

Refuse crews, enforcement officers, contact centre officers, and social workers are among staff who have been the victims of abuse.

The awareness campaign is one of a series of measures proposed by council employees along with training staff in de-escalation techniques, providing them with body cameras and boosting security at council buildings such as CCTV and security guards.

The Council adds it will help staff affected to access counselling while updated guidance will be given to staff and the public on what behaviour is deemed to be unacceptable and the sanctions.

Cross-party support for the action was given by councillors on the Finance and Policy Committee last month.

Councillor Mike Young, deputy leader of the council, said: “It’s very disappointing to hear those are the kind of levels we are talking about, that’s shocking to be honest.”

Coun Dave Hunter added: “Where there is a clear act of violence that can be established, I think we should prosecute every time.”