Security for Late Night Alcohol Serving Establishment.




The late night customers that are pre-gaming (consuming alcohol at home or other alcohol-serving establishments), while entering have to be checked carefully as they enter later in the evening. Remember knowledge of the patron alcohol drinking habits change the responsibility of alcohol service (Florida Law). Drink special (drink price reduction can create a greater opportunity for risky alcohol drinking) of late night have to be continually and ongoing observed by staff. Special event drinking (special event days, birthdays, and wedding) can be riskier because of the patron’s intent to over-consume alcohol. The staff should be trained in the ability to ask for a patrons compliance vs force. Police will always ask you in an active removal of a disorderly patron where an injury occurs this question, “What did he say when asked him to leave?”  Security and staff learning the art of “compliance” is getting patrons to follow your establishment’s house policy requirements of entry. Remember that, “Two people got to go” when in-house policies are enforced by staff to protect and encourage patrons in all groups to take care their friends.  Always remember house policy can stricter then state laws and city ordinances. Good times of patrons have to be controlled, observed, and communicated by staff to the managers immediately to reduce possible patron conflict. Drinking alcohol creates patron confusion and misunderstanding, about, “The right thing for patrons to do.” All staff interventions are to help reduce patron confusion and conflict. Staffing has to have the right person in the right place at the right time with the right skills. Staff compassion and respect are always given when addressing patron’s unwanted behaviors. The staff must have the ability and tools to be able to the immediate communication of problem patron’s behavior will help prevent future patron conflict. Staff becomes professional babysitters with a legal duty to care for their patrons.  Drinking alcohol and legal entry is a house privilege given to invited patrons but not a given right in entry.  Frequent patron are educated to follow house policy with respectful responses to avoid unwanted acts of confusion and disrespect in public space. You have more patrons then employees and you have more employees then you do managers. The ability to communicate with patrons gives you the ability to be aware of unsocial patron actions. Patron communications create the opportunity for greater premises safety and more patron fun. Patrons always return to safe environments.  Safety is the best opportunity to have patrons want to return to your safe establishment. The creation of patron violence will limit the ability of the establishment longevity. Social respect of other patron space is a big safety issue if not agreed to by all patrons. Employee greed of tips can create unwanted dangers by over pouring alcohol drinks, over-service of alcohol to patrons, and staff providing free drinks. Sexual harassment and social space harassment in crowded areas create intentional unwanted space aggression. Staff has to continually and ongoing observe and interact with patron to create safer social environments.  All staff is aware that “fighting words” are not free. The Supreme Court ruling said “fighting words” in most states where patron’s words used that inflict injury or cause an immediate breach of the peace are in the category of unprotected speech. The U.S. Supreme Court recently had identified “fighting words” as a “historic and traditional” category of unprotected speech and remains good law. Patrons that use angry words to create fear, alarm, harm, danger, threats to family, self, and friends are not free. The use scanners to create a banning list of unwanted patrons helps nightclubs to create social respect for wanted behavior from patrons. House policy ounce explained to patron are always a condition of entry. House policy are trained to the patron to create safer serving environments. Remember that fake China identification run on police scanners are a problem to detect by staff not aware of the fake identification risk. The bend test (created by the Oregon State police (u-tube) is a great test but you have to be careful of the bending of certain state licenses. The control of special events groups and parties behaviors are explained prior to the event with a responsible person involved in the social control of the group. Input of the police on geographical banned people helps to reduce the opportunity of crime by not allowing known criminals on your premises. Asking younger underage employees what type of fake identification their friends are using helps bring a current awareness to the knowledge of what fake identification door staff should be looking at more carefully. Asking older employed staff, “Who the drug dealers are in the area?” helps to eliminate them from entry and sell illegal drugs on your establishment premises. The promise of safe entry is not a guaranty of safe premises. The watchmen at the front entry of the nightclub are the controllers of risk. Security provides the needed access control to protect patrons, staff, and property in that order. Watchmen (Security staff) that make $1500 a night means your security staff is going to have trouble. Money and greed create the ability for the failure of the nightclub. Greed of bad money creates the destruction of nightclubs. Trust in your staff working as a team creates the opportunity for success. The “I” employee will create the opportunity for criminal activity. Remember other staff and patrons will trust your security employees to help, assist, and protect them from possible harm (both assault and battery and self–harm.) Trust over time creates a bond between patrons, staff, managers and owners. Trust is given to patrons then earned by guests. Trust creates the ability of patron wanting to come back to be baby-sitted by your caring staff. Teaching social respect creates safer premises though House Policy control. You never let a patron control your staff actions. The staff is not the patron's employees. Being tipped is not being bought.  Remember you are only as safe as your employees and patrons (by communicating problems) make your premises. Your staff controls your premises and it is very important that staff is aware of the trust owners place in them.  Crime is the downfall of most nightclubs. Education of staff to make safe interventions will reduce the opportunity for violence. Always have your staff ask for patron compliance before your watchmen use preventative movements. The opportunity for risk is the only control staff has to prevent violence. Violence is always sudden and unexpected.  If you can predict violence you should have taken steps to prevent it. Reasonable care can be created by business associations, insurance companies, state law, city ordinance, and your business in-house policy controls. All policy of care go to prevent the opportunity harm. Cities all want premises to have control of the crowds at closing time and provide safe patron exit. Police can hold nightclub accountable for the behavior of your patrons exiting into the general public.

Comments

Popular Posts