Hundreds on blacklist to protect council staff from risk of violence

Hundreds of members of the public have been placed on a list by Sunderland City Council aimed at protecting council employees from "risk of violence, aggression, or abusive behaviour".

- by Chris Binding

Almost 250 people are on the city council's list aimed at protecting employees from a risk of violence, aggression, or abusive behaviour. Photo used for illustration purposes only

The council's citywide Employee Protection Register, which is actively promoted by the local authority, is a register which "warns staff and partner organisations about persons who pose a risk to staff safety".

A poster at the Sunniside Multi-Storey Car Park notes that "violent, aggressive, or abusive behaviour towards staff will not be tolerated" and that "violence towards staff will place you on the register".

Data obtained via a Freedom of Information request noted that as of November 3 last year, there were 246 individuals on the register.

The FOI response adds that "individuals are added to the Employee Protection Register due to incidents or intelligence indicating a risk of violence, aggression, or abusive behaviour toward Sunderland City Council staff or partner organisation employees."

Data shows the majority of cases for "inclusion on the register" since 2020 have included "violence and aggression", as well as people being added for "abusive behaviour."

There have been around 208 incidents of individuals being added to the Employment Protection Register for violence and aggression over the last six calendar years, including around 103 in the last three years.