If a citizen becomes verbally abusive toward a company officer while she or he is trying to resolve their complaint, the officer should:

• A. Call for law enforcement assistance
• B. Assign the complaint to the fire chief
• C. Resolve the citizen concern or complaint
• D. Refer the citizen to a person better suited to assist them

Answer: (A)

When a citizen becomes verbally abusive during efforts to resolve a complaint, the priority is officer safety and maintaining a safe environment for everyone involved. In this moment, calling for law enforcement assistance is the appropriate step because trained responders can de-escalate the situation, provide protection, and allow the officer to disengage without risking harm or miscommunication. Trying to resolve the issue directly or routing it to someone else does not address the immediate safety risk, and simply assigning it to a higher-up or referring the citizen elsewhere could delay resolution and potentially escalate tension. After ensuring safety, you can continue the process with appropriate support and documentation.