Highlights:
- Why this matters: Escalating hateful or threatening rhetoric at work or online can erode public trust, damage team cohesion, create liability and, in rare cases, precede workplace or community harm.
- Early wins: Train supervisors to recognize patterns, document neutrally, and act early using a consistent, policy-aligned response ladder.
- Focus on conduct, not viewpoint: Address behavior that violates policy (threats, slurs, harassment, intimidation, bias-based conduct), enforce content-neutral rules and avoid viewpoint discrimination.
- Use a multidisciplinary approach: Coordinate HR, legal, professional standards/IA, wellness/peer support, EAP and, when needed, threat assessment resources.
- Support and accountability can co-exist: Offer resources (coaching, EAP, training) while maintaining clear consequences for policy violations and unlawful conduct.
Escalating hateful or threatening rhetoric — whether at work or online — poses risks to public trust, team cohesion and agency operations. For chiefs and supervisors, the challenge isn’t about policing beliefs; it’s about recognizing when conduct crosses into policy violations or behaviors that can undermine safety, service delivery or credibility.
| RELATED: First responders face investigations over social posts about Charlie Kirk’s killing
At work, warning signs may start with offhand jokes or remarks about protected groups and progress to “us-versus-them” language about the community. Boundary testing can include coded slang, symbolic references, or extremist imagery on gear or lockers, even after coaching. Other indicators include intimidation, identity-based proselytizing, or repeated references to force or violence. When these behaviors affect patient care, service quality or team cohesion, the overall pattern is more important than any single incident.
Online, escalation may appear as more frequent posts using slurs or demeaning language, endorsement of violence, or fixation on conspiratorial narratives that justify harm. Key inflection points include harassment or doxxing of coworkers or community members, and visible association with violent actors while identifiable with the agency.
This guide outlines observable warning signs, practical steps for early intervention and a structured response ladder. By focusing on conduct rather than viewpoint, leaders can support personnel, protect agency reputation and address risks in a consistent, policy-aligned way.
What to watch for
On duty/workplace:
- Derogatory or dehumanizing remarks about protected groups, “jokes” or memes targeting identity
- “Us-vs.-them” talk about communities you serve; contempt in service delivery
- Boundary testing after coaching; coded language; extremist symbols on gear/lockers
- Intimidation, harassment, or political proselytizing tied to identity
- “Leakage” toward violence (fantasizing about force, endorsing violent “solutions”)
- Refusal or reluctance to serve impartially
Off duty/public social media:
- Increasing frequency/intensity of slurs, dehumanization or praise for violence
- Fixation on narratives that justify violence against groups or officials
- Coded imagery/numerics tied to extremist movements
- Targeted harassment or doxxing of coworkers/officials/journalists
- Boasting about policy evasion or unlawful “fantasy scripts”
- Networking with violent actors or support for violent organizations
Response ladder
- Green — Coach & Monitor: First incident, ambiguous content
Action: Private coaching, expectations reset, brief documentation, training referral - Yellow — Formal Intervention: Repeated conduct; clear slurs; community complaint
Action: Counseling memo, HR/legal/IA consult, targeted training, offer EAP/peer support - Orange — Elevated Concern: Harassment, explicit dehumanization, refusal to serve impartially
Action: Open investigation, consider reassignment/admin leave, threat assessment review - Red — Imminent/Unlawful Threats: Direct threats, doxxing, advocacy of imminent violence
Action: Immediate safety measures, suspension/admin leave per policy, preserve evidence, notify law enforcement if criminal
Supervisor quick checklist
- See it → Save it: Screenshot public posts; record dates/URLs; keep notes factual
- Map to policy: Social media, code of conduct, harassment/discrimination, bias-free service, workplace violence, confidentiality, uniform/insignia
- Consult early: HR, legal, IA/pro standards, wellness/EAP
- Coach clearly: Describe behavior, state impact, set expectations, document
- Be consistent: Enforce rules evenly regardless of political viewpoint
- Track follow-through: Reassess after coaching; escalate if needed
Additional resources across public safety
For the fire service, see “Handling harassment on duty: Take a professional, policy-driven approach” and “Harassment training for fire officers: Make it count,” both of which detail leadership actions and policy alignment for prevention and response.
For EMS leaders, “Handling harassment on duty: Take a professional, policy-driven approach” offers a current framework, and “Freedom of speech: Social media and the public sector” explains how First Amendment rules intersect with agency social media policies.
For law enforcement, recent and foundational reads include “Judge dismisses case filed by Mass. officer disciplined for social media comments on George Floyd,” which underscores agencies’ interests in protecting public trust, and “Could officers’ social media comments result in a Brady listing?” which explores how online conduct can affect courtroom credibility.
For broader legal context on department policies and officer speech, see “When the PD social media policy meets the First Amendment.”
Public employees retain speech protections, especially when off duty, but agencies may take action when conduct undermines safety, operational effectiveness or public trust. Discipline should address behavior — such as threats, harassment, bias-based actions, disruption, confidentiality breaches or misuse of agency identifiers — rather than personal viewpoints. All actions should follow due process, rely only on public or lawfully obtained content and involve agency counsel since laws vary.
By acting early, documenting objectively and applying clear, content-neutral policies, leaders can balance support and accountability in ways that safeguard personnel, operations, and community confidence.
EMS1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.
