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
- 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
- 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