If the person becomes angry, aggressive, or hostile, use local office guidelines as
a supplement to the following actions:
-
•
use good listening skills;
-
•
speak simply, slowly, clearly, calmly, and acceptingly;
-
-
•
reduce distractions in the interviewing environment as much as possible;
-
•
provide relaxed responses, even to odd or peculiar questions or behaviors;
-
•
use telephone interviews to contact individuals prone to anger, aggression, hostility,
or violence;
-
•
arrange for the presence of a third party or another employee, if possible;
-
•
terminate the interview and leave calmly and politely before matters get out of hand
during home visits when threatened, or verbally abused; and
-
•
notify management staff and the appropriate community service or law enforcement agency
if the person you are interviewing threatens suicide. Suggest help at the nearby crisis
prevention center and provide the emergency telephone number. The Enhanced Leads and
Appointment System (eLAS) Field Office Information Page (FOIP) screen shows suicide
prevention agencies. For instructions on handling potential suicidal-homicidal behavior,
see DI 11005.080.