How to react/report

To move away from a suspect or suspicious object will help guarantee your safety, and those who are with you at that time. There is another step you must take however, to ensure that the suspicions are dealt with properly. You must REPORT the suspect or suspicious object immediately.

By reporting the suspect or suspicious object, you are providing the police or security group the opportunity to deal with the threat in the most appropriate way. Make no mistake, reporting a suspect or suspicious object could save the lives of many people.

‘Reporting’ means that you are informing an appropriate person or organisation who can take further action to confirm if the suspicions are a threat or not. This will include one or more of the following (it is important for you to make clear what the required process is in your country):

• The security group in the country;
• The police or other emergency authority;
• A security guard if there is one close by;
• A member of staff of the building/restaurant/shop, etc., that you are in.

It is important to remember the following principles when reporting a suspect or suspicious object:

• Do not wait to report. Call or tell the relevant organisation/person as soon as you are in a safe place and able to do so
• Always speak clearly and calmly
• Say what the problem is, in a simple and clear way (suspicious person or object)
• Describe what the suspect or object looks like – give as many details as possible (scars, tattoos, piercings, glasses…)
• Give the address of where the suspect or object is and explain exactly where he/she/it is
• Say why you are suspicious – why is the suspect or object out of place