We all know that customer interactions can flip from friendly to frightening in seconds. Workplace violence is no longer an abstract risk—it’s a pressing reality. That’s why the Restaurant Loss Prevention & Security Association (RLPSA), in collaboration with The Power of Preparedness (TPOP), hosted a timely and sobering webinar focused on one of the most effective—and underutilized—tools for prevention: recognizing the behavioral indicators of violence.
Led by security experts Josh Shelton (Group Nine Consulting) and Aaron Hancart (IntelFusion), the session pulled back the curtain on how incidents escalate, what warning signs to watch for, and what leaders and frontline employees can do to de-escalate threats before they explode.
Recognizing the behavioral indicators of violence is one of the most effective—and underutilized—tools for prevention.
The Business Case for Vigilance
Before diving into tactics, the webinar established the “why.” Violence in food service settings doesn’t just shake morale—it drains profit. The average cost of employee turnover runs in the thousands. A single altercation can result in lost customers whose lifetime value often exceeds that. Then there’s litigation risk, insurance hikes, and brand damage to boot. With new legislation like California’s SB 553 and the proposed New York Retail Worker Safety Act, businesses can no longer afford to treat this as a background issue. It’s front and center.
Two Types of Violence: Know the Difference
Humans tend to operate in two distinct modes when they become violent, explained Shelton:
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Affective Violence is emotional, reactive, and loud. Think of road rage, shouting at a cashier, or aggressive body language in the middle of a dispute. It’s often unplanned and triggered by something that feels immediate and personal.
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Predatory Violence is calculated, quiet, and far more dangerous. This is the behavior of someone who enters a location with a weapon and a plan. It’s cold, controlled, and purposeful. These individuals aren’t arguing—they’re acting out a mission.
Understanding the difference is critical, because the indicators—and response strategies—are vastly different.
Recognizing the Red Flags
Shelton and Hancart introduced a simple yet powerful framework for interpreting behavior: Thoughts → Emotions → Behaviors. The actions we see are the final output of a chain reaction. And if you’re paying attention, the early signs are there and you can recognize and report them before they become actions.
Affective Red Flags:
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Raised voices, clenched fists, verbal threats
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Pacing, crowding personal space
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Emotional outbursts or dramatic gestures
Predatory Red Flags:
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Calm or disconnected demeanor in high-stress moments
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Loitering, unusual questions, or multiple “dry runs”
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Overdressing to conceal objects or weapons
Shelton noted that predatory actors often don’t look angry—they look focused. “They’re on a mission. You can feel it if you’re paying attention.”
Predatory Violence is calculated, quiet, and far more dangerous. These individuals aren’t arguing—they’re acting out a mission.
Reporting: See Something, Say Something—and Make It Easy
Spotting red flags isn’t enough if no one says anything.
One of the most important takeaways from the webinar was this: organizations must make it easy, safe, and expected for employees to report suspicious behavior—before it becomes a problem.
Too often, incidents go unreported because employees don’t know where to go, don’t trust the process, or fear retaliation. That’s why the presenters emphasized creating multiple clear, low-friction channels for reporting, including:
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Anonymous hotlines
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QR codes on posters in break rooms and back-of-house areas
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Mobile apps or digital portals
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Clear signage that reinforces when and how to report
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Reminders during team huddles or LMS-based trainings
Importantly, the message can’t stop at “report if something happens.” It must include, “report if something feels off.” Early intervention can only happen if someone speaks up while there’s still time to act.
As Hancart put it, “If your culture doesn’t actively invite people to raise their hand, you’ll never see the warning signs until it’s too late.”
That means not just having tools, but making sure your team knows about them, trusts them, and sees them used effectively. Leadership must regularly reinforce these tools, acknowledge and support those who use them, and ensure that reporting never becomes a career liability.
Josh added nuance here: anonymous reporting can be empowering, but also misused. “Sometimes it’s used as a weapon—false reports to get someone in trouble. That’s why leadership follow-up is so critical.”
Organizations must make it easy, safe, and expected for employees to report suspicious behavior—before it becomes a problem.
Culture Starts at the Top
Hancart drove home a critical truth: if you want a violence-prevention culture, it must be modeled and championed by leadership. That means not only investing in training, but reinforcing it regularly—through policy, praise, and example.
“Too many times,” he noted, “we push training out like a fire drill, and then never revisit it. But if it matters, you have to talk about it more than once.”
When leadership signals that safety, support, and reporting matter—through their words and actions—employees respond in kind.
Supervisors must:
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Recognize employees who report appropriately
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Debrief after tense moments or near-misses
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Normalize emotional safety conversations
And when something does happen? Leaders should provide post-incident support—including mental health resources, time off, or even just a listening ear.
Training is Not One-and-Done
Another gap the webinar exposed? Training apathy. Too many organizations treat workplace violence training as a checkbox—something you push out once a year (or even less frequently) and forget.
Instead, real results come from repetition and reinforcement:
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Short, interactive modules
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Role-play scenarios or tabletop exercises
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Quick monthly refreshers
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Encouraging managers to practice de-escalation in real-time
As Shelton noted, “You don’t rise to the occasion; you fall to the level of your training.”
Rarely do people rise to the occasion; instead, they fall to the level of their training.
Preparing for the Future
While much of the conversation centered on proactive steps, the speakers also touched on future compliance trends. Workplace violence prevention is fast becoming a regulatory issue—not just a moral or operational one. With bills surfacing in over a dozen states, companies that don’t build a program now may find themselves scrambling later.
Final Word: Violence Is Rare—Until It Isn’t
No one wants to believe it will happen in their store, with their team, on their watch. But as Hancart and Shelton made clear, violence often gives off warning signs. The key is having the eyes to see them and the courage to act—not with force, but with awareness, empathy, and calm.
As the food service industry continues to grapple with front-line stress, staffing shortages, and unruly customer behavior, this kind of proactive mindset isn’t just best practice. It’s survival strategy.
Key Takeaways (Perfect for sharing with your team)
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Workplace violence is costly: turnover, customer defection, lawsuits, and compliance violations all hurt the bottom line.
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Violence comes in two forms: affective (emotional) and predatory (premeditated). Each requires a different approach.
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Behavior reveals intent: Look for both emotional escalation and calm, deliberate warning signs.
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Make reporting easy and trusted: Use QR codes, hotlines, and mobile tools—but back them with action and accountability.
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Training must be continuous: One-off webinars or LMS modules aren’t enough. Build a rhythm of reminders.
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Leaders must model the culture: Reward reporting, debrief incidents, and support emotional well-being.
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Regulation is rising: Over a dozen workplace safety bills are active across the U.S.—compliance is coming.