Tauranga council staff targeted as assaults, abuse soar amid Covid 'stress'

The number of workers at Bay of Plenty councils physically assaulted on the job has soared since the arrival of Covid-19.

During the past two years, Tauranga City Council staff have been chased down by a vehicle, spat at, had objects thrown at them and been shoulder-barged. At the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, a worker was kicked in the stomach.

Figures obtained by the Bay of Plenty Times through the Local Government Information and Meetings Act show there were eight physical assaults on Tauranga City Council staff and contractors in 2021 as of November. In 2020, there was one. In 2019, there were none.

Tauranga council health and safety manager Angelique Fraser said the council was fortunate none of the assaults had resulted in physical injury, but many were reported to police.

"No one should feel threatened or scared or be hurt, while they are performing work duties, regardless of where they work or the work they are doing," she said.

Tauranga City Council health and safety manager Angelique Fraser says the surge in assaults on staff is unacceptable. Photo / George Novak

"It is unacceptable to us that any of our staff and contractors are assaulted or abused at work, for any reason.

"For the small minority of people who think it's okay to assault others doing their jobs, we ask that they take a moment to think how they would feel if one of their family members was on the receiving end of assault and abuse at work.

"Our people are members of the community, just like everyone else, and they're here to do their best for our city."

The council has since brought in body cameras, additional CCTV cameras, de-escalation training, and was working with WorkSafe NZ on a "safety in design" project for the city's libraries in a bid to reduce incidents there.

New Zealand's Covid-19 outbreak began in February-March 2020, and Fraser said the council team was aware of Covid fatigue and uncertainty in the community.

"We are concerned about the pressure on our people to monitor mask wearing and social distancing in council spaces, and who may need to restrict community access to council services under the new traffic light system."

Fraser said the council's libraries were a common location of assaults on staff, as were places where animal control staff and parking staff operated.

Tauranga parking officers are among council staff regularly experiencing assaults and abuse. Photo / NZME

During the past three years, there were 78 verbal assaults, including racial abuse and intimidating behaviour, on city council workers.

Fraser said the incidents were reported assaults only and "it doesn't reflect the volume that actually occurs".

"We don't just rely on the number and respond only to those incidents. Our focus is to understand the health and safety challenges all our people face, and implement measures to support them (such as PPE, safety equipment, training, etc)."

At Western Bay council there were no physical assaults on staff or contractors as of November 2021, but in 2020 a compliance officer was kicked in the stomach at a private property in April. The officer did not need medical treatment but the offender was later convicted of assault.

There were no physical assaults on council workers in 2019.

Group manager of people and customer service Jan Pedersen said Western Bay's compliance officers had since been given body cameras and lone worker devices. The latter could be activated to alert security for immediate response if the staff member was in danger and could also monitor for non-responsiveness.

Pedersen said the council had recently, periodically, installed security services at its libraries and service centres "to ensure that our people are safe".

During the past three years, council staff and contractors reported 381 non-injury incidents.

"The health and safety of our people is our priority," Pedersen said.

"We investigate serious safety events when they arise and act quickly to implement changes that better protect our team and contractors when needed.

"We encourage all of our customers to be kind and patient as our team undertake their jobs."

Public Service Association (PSA) represents and supports more than 80,000 workers across the public service. National sector leader Ian Gordon said council staff and contractors often became the face of the council and received people's responses - good and bad - to it.

"They are front line. Sometimes people don't see it quite that way. They react to the person they see rather than realise they are enforcing the rules. They are not the ones making the decisions around that."

Gordon said during the past 12 to 18 months, people had been "a bit more stressed around the potential Covid situation".

While Covid was unlikely to be the sole reason for the attacks, it could be a component fueling some, he said.

"The main message is these are people just doing their job, and an important job. People really need to be kind."