Patrick O’Keefe tells us that having a plan before it’s needed is a good idea, and doing something is usually better than doing nothing when trouble happens.
An escalation policy for your moderators outlines what situations need special handling and what should occur when they are identified. That action might simply be referring it to someone else in your organization who is more specifically trained for these issues.
See original article at managingcommunities.com
More Communication Strategies:
I Asked My Members Why They Stay on My Online Community (and Here’s What They Said) | ManagingCommunities.com: Community Manager Blog 
How I Build Credibility Within an Online Community | ManagingCommunities.com: Community Manager Blog 
Slide Deck: Managing Abusive Online Community Members (or “The Mean Things People Say to Moderators”) | ManagingCommunities.com: Community Manager Blog