'Don’t worry, the ones who talk about it never do it' - Is she just running her mouth, or telling you what she’s planning to do?

‘Don’t worry, the ones who talk about it never do it’ – Is she just running her mouth, or telling you what she’s planning to do?

Jim Leach began his law enforcement career in 1975, and he shares his insights as a multimedia analyst and consultant for Golden Media Group in matters relating to Criminal Justice. Mr. Leach is the author of “Not In OUR House, Defeating Workplace Violence.”

The ones who “DO IT” almost always talk about it, and often those who are “running their mouth” are rehearsing what they plan to do by verbalizing it. The one thing you must always remember about a threat is that you NEVER totally disregard it.

In nearly every instance of violence I am familiar with (and that’s a lot), the vast majority were preceded by a threat of some type. In most instances, their friends or co-workers simply dismissed it as “running their mouth” or “blowing off steam”. When I had to interview them after someone had gotten hurt or killed, they were distraught because they had not taken seriously what they knew and passed it on to someone in authority.

Here are some things to look for in a verbal or written threat:

Credibility – Did you get the information from a credible source? Someone who “cries wolf” all the time or someone with good judgment.

Viability – Is the action that is being threatened reasonably capable of taking place? “I am going to shoot the first 3 people who walk into City Hall tomorrow” vs. “I will walk to Ft. Campbell today, steal some explosives, walk back home, and blow-up City Hall in the morning.”

Immediate or Remote – “I will be at your home to shoot you in the next 10 minutes” vs. ”Sometime next week I am going to hurt you.”

Seriousness – “I’m going to hurt the Boss.” vs. “I will shoot the Boss with the gun my grandfather gave me the next time I see her.”

The amount of detailed information included in the threat is another factor to consider. Generally speaking, the more detailed a threat is, the more serious it may be. The potential warning may indicate that plans have been made or an attack has been rehearsed.

Our society is changing faster than ever. Along with all the other changes come new types of threats and threatening individuals and groups.

Law enforcement is trained to analyze threats. If you see or hear something, say something.