Employee
Threats—Should You Take Them Seriously?
By Gerry Adams
Terminating an employee is
rarely a pleasant experience for business executives, but what happens when the
terminated employee threatens your life and the lives of family members?
Sound like something that
only happens in Hollywood? Maybe, but
according to Gerry Adams, a private investigator and principal of a Seattle
private investigative agency, scenarios like this one are becoming more common
everyday.
“In an era where
corporations are forced to downsize in order to stay competitive many long-time
employees are being let go,” Adams said.
“In many instances these employees become extremely resentful of the
person firing them and threaten bodily harm or even death to them and their
families.”
Another instance where
employees tend to threaten employers is when they are caught embezzling money
or stealing equipment from the company.
Faced with the reality of losing their job and reputation, these
employees become desperate and in many cases will do anything to retain their
job, including making threats.
“Many of these threats are
made in the heat of the moment and probably won’t be carried out, but
executives need to take them very seriously,” said Jennifer Garrepy, a private
investigator working for Adams.
If a business executive has
received a threat from a former or current employee, Garrepy suggests
contacting company security or and outside private investigative agency
specializing in executive protection.
“Our investigators are
highly trained in many areas including executive protection,” Adams said.
“Executive protection can
take on many forms from escort to bodyguard,” Garrepy said. “We recognize there is no one formula for
every situation, and tailor our services to the needs of each client.”
Whether it is escorting the
executive from work to home, or accompanying them on a business trip, Adams
takes care of the smallest details from accommodations to inspecting
automobiles to chartering helicopters, Adams said. “Safety is our number one priority and no detail is overlooked.”
Gerry Adams manages a
full-service private investigative agency specializing in intellectual property
infringements, fraud, embezzlement, internal theft, and executive protection.
The agency has been
providing investigative services to many of the Pacific Northwest’s leading
companies for over 30 years.