Crime on the Farm: How to Stay Calm When You Aren’t
Being the victim of a crime can be a traumatic experience. Whether it’s a break-in at your farm or an animal activist trespassing on your property, John Sancenito, now president of INA, a risk management and security consulting business, says how you respond can make all the difference.
“Crime victims feel violated,” Sancenito says. “Shock is usually the first response, followed by anger and a desire to put things back to the way they were.”
If your farm has been victimized, he says the first thing to do is stop and take a deep breath. He suggests using the STAR system of incident response:
S=Stop.
Avoid rushing in and taking actions that could put you in jeopardy or destroy potential evidence. Give yourself a moment to get over the shock and emotion of the situation. This may involve you taking charge of a potentially chaotic situation and telling others to stop what they are doing as well.
T=Think.
Think rationally about what happened and what needs to be done. Recognize that something happened and that an emotional response may not be best. Think about your actions and those around you. Consider how likely it is that the perpetrator is still onsite.
A=Assess.
Evaluate what happened and if immediate actions are necessary to protect life or further property damage. If neither of those is needed, then develop a plan to protect the area. Evaluate what areas may have to be preserved, and resource requirements accordingly.
R=Respond.
Take appropriate action based on the circumstances. Actions necessary to protect life or further damage should be taken first. If neither of those conditions exist, protect the scene, and contact the local police immediately.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is failing to protect the crime scene, Sancenito explains. It’s natural to want to immediately restore order after a break-in has been committed.
“It is natural for a farmer to feel violated that someone illegally entered his buildings or tampered with his property. If you are the victim of a break-in, avoid the temptation to immediately start picking things up or rummaging through items to determine what was damaged or stolen,” he advises.
Evidence like footprints, tire tracks, fingerprints, hair and fibers are fragile. Sancenito says if you must take an action, pull out your mobile phone and take pictures or video of the scene.
“Please do this only if you can do so safely and without damaging evidence,” he says. “Only touch what you absolutely have to. Once you have established that there has been a break-in, back out, protect the area and contact the police immediately.”
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