The Employee of Concern Advisory Team (ECAT) is the multidisciplinary team that will facilitate a coordinated response to all behaviours in which individuals may pose a threat to themselves or others. The goal of the response is to prevent serious violence and to support all individuals involved.

Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA)

A Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) assessment is the process of determining if a threat-maker poses a risk to a target or targets they have threatened. The threat could be to themselves or others. In doing so, supports and interventions can be identified and offered to help the threat-maker and prevent further evolution on their pathway to violence.

VTRA Essentials

  • No one just snaps, serious violence is an evolutionary process.
  • The best predictor of future violent behaviour is evidence of an increasing baseline.
  • The biggest problem identified in the aftermath of a violent situation is under-reporting of often blatant indicators that someone is moving on a pathway towards serious violence.
  • Report or talk to someone - your information may be useful in preventing future violence.

USask VTRA Structure

With many other members of Saskatoon and surrounding community, USask is a committed member of the Community Threat Assessment Support Protocol.

USask has VTRA teams dedicated to both employees and students.

Primary Contact:

Jeff Lindsay, Manager, Safety Resources
(306) 966-8495
ecat@usask.ca

Team Members:

Jeff Lindsay, Manager, Safety Resources
(306) 966-8495,

Brad Niven, Ops Manager, Protective Services
(306) 966-2667

Clay Benaschak, Manager, HR Advisory Services
(306) 966-5260

To activate an ECAT process or report worrisome or high risk behaviors, please contact Protective Services at 306-966-5555.

Worrisome Behaviours


Share with supervisor, HR SBA or Protective Services

  • Violent content
  • Writing or speech is disjointed and fragmented
  • Stories/journals/assignments/ communications
  • Vague threatening statements
  • Significant change in both behaviour and social media behaviour
  • Significant change in baseline behaviour and/or appearance
  • Behaviours causing others to feel uncomfortable
  • Disruptive behaviour in learning/living/working environments
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Significant academic/work performance changes
  • Disrespect for authority, unreasonable demands
  • Substance abuse
  • Harassment/sexual harassment
  • Atypical of email/social media

High Risk Behaviours


Contact Protective Services

  • Acts of aggression
  • Stalking behaviour
  • Possession of weapon/replica
  • Bomb threat plan
  • Unwanted sexual advances/contact
  • Verbal/written threat to kill/injure self or others
  • Internet website threats to kill or injure self/others
  • Fire-setting behaviour
  • Escalation in frequency and/or intensity of behaviour
  • Threats of violence
  • Hate-motivated violence targeting a particular student or group
  • Cluster of worrisome behaviour
  • Plans of sabotage
  • Writing or speech is disjointed and fragmented
  • Gang related intimidation and violence

Immediate Threat


Call 911

  • Weapons in possession that poses serious threat to others
  • •Active, or planned for, serious assault on a target
  • Homicidal/suicidal behaviour that threatens safety
  • Fire-setting
  • Acts of sabotage that threaten the safety of self or others
  • Targeted bomb threat