Topic: blatant disregard
Industry: Aerospace…Plant Protection
Location: Northeastern U.S.

A seasoned security officer is a professional who takes the work seriously and is meticulous about details. When they sign their name to a report it is done with the full backing of their integrity and character. Officer “D” is working the communication center when a call comes in from an employee reporting a theft of personal items at work. Officer D takes down the information on the standard “call sheet” just the way it is given and signs the report. A copy of the report goes to the employee who complains to the supervisor that the report is wrong. Not only does the supervisor not back up the Officer, the supervisor changes the report and asks Officer D to sign it. The Officer’s integrity is now on the line and the Officer refuses to sign the changed report because that was not the way the call came in…and the Officer suggested that the supervisor just attach an amendment to the report stating the employee’s new thoughts. The conversation quickly degrades to brow beating with the supervisor dredging up old issues with Officer D as a way to guilt him into signing. Officer D refuses and the supervisor eventually attaches an amendment to the report.

What messages did the supervisor send to Officer D and all the other employees?

• She does not stand behind her people and defend them publicly;
• She has low to no regard for her people’s integrity or the value of their signature;
• She is willing to compromise the integrity of the “call sheet”;
• expediency takes precedence over correctness;
• Respecting her people’s professionalism is not her concern.

In this brief encounter her behaviors managed to despirit the officer and diminish his goodwill energy.