Why Did Gwangjin-gu Even Conduct Training to Handle Malicious Complainants?

Gwangjin-gu, Joint Police Drill for Handling Malicious Complainants

Four Emergency Response Teams Formed, Each with Dedicated Responsibilities for Swift Action

Conducted Twice Annually at District Office Civil Service Center and Community Service Centers to Enhance On-site Response Capabilities

Leading Efforts to Create a Safe Working Environment for Civil Servants Handling Complaints through Ordinance Enactment, Wearable Camera Introduction, Emergency Bell System Installation, and Safety Personnel Deployment

Recently, the number of civil servants quitting due to verbal abuse and assault by dissatisfied complainants has been increasing.

Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) conducted a joint drill with the police on the 11th to prepare for emergency situations such as verbal abuse and assault by complainants.

"I pay your salaries with my taxes, so what can't be done? Bring out the person in charge!"

A complainant visiting the district office's Civil Service Passport Department shouted angrily with a dissatisfied expression and tore up the application documents, throwing them at the staff.

The team leader then rushed out to calm the complainant, saying, "Please understand that we can only process the work according to regulations. If you continue with verbal abuse and shouting, you may be punished according to relevant laws."

Due to the complainant's continued harsh words and actions, an employee present wore a 'wearable camera' and notified that the ongoing situation was being recorded.

To restrain the abusive complainant who was also disturbing other visiting complainants, the security guard intervened. Additionally, recognizing the emergency, the employee pressed the emergency bell, prompting police to arrive and take custody of the abusive complainant, bringing the disturbance to an end.

This was a simulated scenario, not a real incident, staged as a dispute arising during the process of informing a complainant that the photo submitted for passport issuance did not meet specifications, with staff, police, and security guards conducting the joint drill together.

Joint Drill in Cooperation with the Police

This drill was organized to realistically reproduce the frequent process of handling malicious complainants, enhancing the on-site response capabilities of civil servants in charge of complaints and protecting visiting complainants to create a safe complaint environment.

The district formed four response teams to swiftly handle emergencies such as verbal abuse and assault: ▲Command and Control Team ▲Situation Response Team ▲Complainant Evacuation Guidance Team ▲Relief Team for Affected Civil Servants.

Additionally, an emergency bell system was installed in the civil service center, and a cooperation system was firmly established so that the police can promptly respond and take custody of abusive complainants upon emergency calls.

Emergency drills for civil service center situations are conducted twice annually, in the first and second halves of the year.

In December last year, the district enacted the 'Ordinance on the Protection and Support of Civil Servants Handling Complaints in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul' to protect staff from the increasing number of malicious complainants each year.

Along with this, to strengthen the safety of civil servants handling complaints, transparent partitions, CCTV, emergency bells, and call recording systems were installed, and safety personnel were deployed in the civil service center.

In the first half of this year, wearable cameras, portable protective equipment, were introduced to respond to verbal abuse and assault incidents, recording video and audio at the time of incidents to be used as evidence.

The district also operates psychological counseling and healing programs for employees who have suffered physical and mental harm, contributing to creating a warm workplace atmosphere so they can return to work.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, stated, "We will be kind to residents and do our best to improve civil service. The kind image of Gwangjin comes from a heart that respects others. We ask that you treat civil servants handling complaints warmly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.