Stratford District Council staff face increase in abusive behaviour from members of public

The library and i-Site were closed on Thursday for staff training. Photo / Alyssa Smith

In one year, the number of aggressive or abusive incidents faced by Stratford District Council staff has doubled.

This substantial increase led to a one-day closure of the town’s library and i-Site centre last week so staff could undertake formal training in de-escalation, says Stratford District Council acting director of community services Chade Julie.

“The facility was closed on Thursday to facilitate de-escalation training for a number of staff due to the increase in aggressive behaviour experienced in person, over the phone, via email and through social media channels.”

Staff from several council departments took part in the training, says Chade, with Wai o Rua Stratford Aquatic Centre staff, customer service staff and members of the community development team all involved.

Between July 2021 and June 2022, 11 “extreme” incidents of aggressive or abusive behaviour were formally reported by staff, says Chade, with that number doubling to 22 between July 2022 and June 2023.

“These figures don’t represent the dozens of minor events that occur within our facilities every year. Regardless of their scale, every event has an impact on our staff.”

He says the reported incidents don’t include online interactions, but says there has been a “noticeable increase in this type of behaviour” experienced by staff through social media, specifically through the council and Wai o Rua Stratford Aquatic Centre channels.

Staff should not have to deal with this kind of behaviour from members of the public, says Chade.

“Our staff come to work each and every day to genuinely try to make a difference in our community, whether that be in our facilities or by providing activities and events. The abuse they experience whilst trying to carry out their jobs is not acceptable and something no one should have to constantly deal with.”

The training, which took place on Thursday last week, was a way to ensure staff felt supported and equipped to deal with incidents, he said.

“The wellbeing of our staff is vitally important, and providing this training is one way we can support them to continue to provide their great service to our community.”

Disclaimer: Editor Ilona Hanne is married to the CEO of Stratford District Council.