ROBBERY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PROCEDURES

I.Precautions and Preparations

Managers should ensure that the following precautions and preparations have taken place.

  • Ensure that all employees know the location of the alarm activation devices and how to operate them.
  • Familiarize employees with the Robbery Kit.

Point out the location of the kit (must be readily accessible to all employees and in the same location in each branch).

When there are more cards than employees available to perform assignments, the cards are to be distributed as evenly as possible (all cards must be distributed).

Make sure they understand the instructions on each card.

Review the description forms and Robbery Witness Record.

Avoid giving the victim teller a duty card unless absolutely necessary.

  • Make certain that the First Aid Kit is completely supplied.
  • Ensure cash drawers and safe doors remain closed and locked when not in use.
  • Ensure cash limits are carefully maintained.
  • Ensure that bait money is properly recorded for each cash drawer and reserve locker.
  • Keep doors and windows visible and free of obstruction and blinds or draperies up or open.
  • Ensure that surveillance equipment is operational.
  • If keys are required to lock the doors, ensure that appropriate individuals have keys with which to lock the doors following a robbery.
  • If the branch has a walk-in vault, ensure that the emergency vault telephone is in working order.
  • Ensure that the safety lock is engaged on walk-in vault doors.
  • Ensure that the branch power failure telephone is in working order.
  • Ensure that height markers are in place at each exit.

Employees should immediately report inquiries by members or other individuals regarding security policies or procedures.

II.During the Robbery

During the robbery, the victim teller should, to the extent possible, conduct him/herself according to the following procedures:

  • Remain as calm as possible.
  • Obey the robber’s instructions.
  • Notify him of any movements you must make to complete his instructions.
  • Give the robber the amount of cash asked for and include the bait money unless specifically instructed not to.
  • Do not assume there is no weapon present because you cannot see one.
  • Attempt to keep any note passed, handling it as little as possible.
  • Observe as many descriptive characteristics of the robber as possible.
  • Note the robber’s height by the door marker when he exits.
  • Activate the alarm only if you feel it is safe to do so.

III.Hostage Situation

This section is not meant to alarm but to advise and every employee must remember that their very best asset if they are ever taken hostage is calm and level thinking. Always rethink before reacting. Employees must never forget that they are not alone in their dilemma and that the credit union will work with all necessary law enforcement agencies to obtain their safe release.

  • Accept your situation and prepare yourself to wait. The first 15 to 45 minutes are the most dangerous for all concerned. Follow the instructors of your captor. The longer you are together the less likely you will sustain injury.
  • Don't speak unless first spoken to and then only if necessary. Try to be friendly but not phony.
  • Try to rest, and sit if you can. If the situation goes on for a long period of time, try to sleep.
  • Don't make suggestions to your captors. If your suggestions go wrong they may think you planned it that way and they may blame you.
  • Don't try to escape unless you are absolutely certain you can make it safely. If you perceive yourself in a situation where even the dangers of an attempted escape are determined to be more desirable than the perception or knowledge of certain injury, rethink your position before you attempt it, and then rethink it some more. Make a logical decision rather than an emotional one.
  • If anyone needs medical attention, inform your captors and offer to help even if one of the injured is a captor. In helping an enemy an emotional bond is formed that may lessen your chances of personal injury.
  • Be observant of everything you see and hear but don't be blatantly obvious about it. Try to memorize the number of captors, their descriptions and conversations, names used, number and types of weapons carried, speech patterns, accents and dialects, heights and weights and topics of conversations between your captors.
  • If you are blindfolded and cannot hear, focus your mind on pleasurable past experiences or on future plans or goals. Above all, remain mentally calm and keep positive thoughts.
  • If you are permitted to speak on the telephone your captors will probably only permit "yes" or "no" answers.
  • Don't argue with your captors or other hostages. Demonstrate a cooperative attitude.
  • Never turn your back on your captors unless directed to but don't stare at them either. Eye contact during conversations is good and people are less likely to harm someone when they are looking at them.
  • Remain patient. Even though you may think the law enforcement agencies on the case aren't doing much, they are engaged in State of Art programs designed to rescue you unharmed as soon as possible.
  • If you believe a rescue is taking place, hear noise or shooting, quickly lie as flat as possible, stay down and don't move. Keep your hands over your head and don't make any fast, sudden or jerky moves.
  • Again remember that a calm, positive, rational mindset is your best defense in dealing with the situation.

IV.After the Robbery

After the robber has left the branch, the victim teller should immediately inform the other tellers that he/she has been robbed. Cash drawer. Do not continue to perform member transactions.

Tellers should immediately notify all branch employees and lock the door immediately. Do not wait until receiving a duty card from the Robbery Kit. Locking the door as soon as possible after the robber exits is paramount to everyone’s safety. Under no circumstances should any branch staff member attempt to follow the robber out of the branch to observe his/her escape.

The victim teller should isolate him/herself from the rest of the branch staff and should not participate in the after robbery response unless the branch is so short of staff that it is absolutely necessary. As soon as possible, the victim teller should begin completing the robbery description form.

The Robbery Kit should be distributed immediately and staff should perform the duties outlined on the card. Many of those duties may already be done; however, the employee with that duty card should ensure that those duties have been done.

Branch staff should observe the following rules after a robbery:

  • Do not discuss the robbery with anyone until you have completed a description form and been interviewed by law enforcement.
  • Do not make any phone calls unless you are instructed to do so by a Robbery Response Duty Card.
  • Do not let any unauthorized person into the branch.
  • Do not leave the branch.
  • Do not handle cash in your drawer or safe.

The branch manager or their designee should ensure that the following functions are properly managed after a robbery:

  • Make certain the doors have been locked and the alarm activated.
  • Maintain order and calm.
  • Attend to injured persons, calling for emergency medical response if necessary.
  • Allow only law enforcement personnel and authorized staff to enter the branch.
  • Ensure that the contents of the Robbery Kit are distributed and all instructions are followed.
  • Do not permit any employee to follow the robber or leave the branch.
  • Ensure that telephone lines remain open other than to make necessary calls to law enforcement and credit union management.
  • Restock the Robbery Kit once all tasks have been completed.

Members and others in the branch who are potential witnesses should be requested to remain until the police arrive. They have been witnesses to a crime and as such, have an obligation to report their observations to law enforcement officials. However, in the event that a witness refuses to remain at the branch, do not attempt to forcibly detain them. Record their name, address, and a phone number on the Robbery Witness Record so that law enforcement personnel may contact them.

V.Employee Trauma

Following a robbery or hostage encounter, employees have personal needs. Recognizing that the possibility of post robbery, hostage trauma or a variety of posttraumatic stress disorders must not be overlooked, any employee directly involved in a robbery or hostage situation is required to attend counseling sessions with a professional counselor. The Vice President of Personnel will coordinate all activities relating to trauma and stress related disorders.

VI.Robbery Response Kit

The Robbery Response Kit contains information and instructions regarding actions that should be taken immediately following a robbery. Following the instructions provided in the kit will ensure that all appropriate actions are taken and will assist in maintaining order.

  • Five or six duty cards, depending on whether the branch has a drive-in, outlining those actions that must be undertaken to ensure proper notification to law enforcement and to maintain control of the situation.
  • Door and drive-in signs alerting arriving members to the emergency and directing them to the nearest branch
  • Robbery Witness Record
  • Description forms
  • Plastic pouches for containing evidence
  • Staff badges employees
  • Pens for witnesses to complete the description forms

Each branch employee should be familiar with the contents of the kit and how to perform the duties on all the response cards. The branch manager should review the contents of the kit and how to use the forms and cards with the branch staff.

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