News Article: March 1, 2005
Publican Magazine – March 1, 2005
Ensuring Public Safety
By Vance Campbell
Last spring, I returned to my old haunt, The Roxy, and spent a few months “working the door”. It was an eye opening experience, but consistent with my earlier memories.
I have always believed that the most critical job in any liquor primary establishment is that of the Doorman or Host. With the advent of later hours, I also wanted to get a feel for the new challenges facing security staff at downtown Vancouver nightclubs.
In addition to offering a warm and sincere welcome to those who enter, the Doorman, more than anyone else, is responsible for setting the stage for the customer experience awaiting within. The Doorman is the first and last customer contact, and as such, can make or break an establishment.
One of the fundamental rules most often quoted by experienced operators is that “the best way to avoid a problem is not to let it in”. This of course refers to screening measures undertaken by security staff to identify and refuse potential problem causers from gaining entry to the licensed premises in the first place.
A good greeter will spend a few minutes chatting with the people at the front of the line, to welcome them, to get a feel for their disposition, to determine whether or not anyone is already intoxicated or on drugs, and of course to check for appropriate identification. In BC, the law requires operators to check anyone who appears to be 25 or younger for two pieces of approved identification.
In most nightclubs, the head Doorman will work with a security team at the entry points, which will be supplemented by other security staff working within the premises. In addition to providing a secure environment, room security has the responsibility of maintaining accurate head counts, and keeping a wary eye on patron behaviour. Early intervention can often prevent a much uglier problem from developing, so it is imperative that inside security circulate and maintain constant vigilance.
Many operators engage the services of a licensed security service to provide security services for large public events. Many security companies provide their own public liability insurance. Some operators use a hybrid mix of key greeters or hosts, who are employed directly by the nightclub, coupled with the services of a third party security provider. This dynamic provides control consistency and also serves to inoculate the nightclub employees from threats or violence that often accompany refusal of entry to persons of notorious character, or others who may be potential problem causers.
Barwatch, the organization which was created by the licensees in the downtown peninsula and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to provide a safe and secure environment for their patrons, has reacted very proactively to the challenges presented by the extension of weekend liquor service, which came into effect in the downtown core in April of 2003. Barwatch members have provided video surveillance of their entry and exit points for years, with many employing very robust surveillance systems throughout their entire premises. Patrons are advised at entry that various measures are being undertaken to make their experience a safe, secure and enjoyable one.
An unprecedented migration from adjacent jurisdictions, which have earlier closing hours, coupled with the closure of many of the city’s unlicensed booze cans created new challenges that had to be immediately addressed with the advent of the extended service hours. Overburdened police resources, a shortage of available drinking seats, and an incremental increase in traffic in the downtown bars, gave rise to an increase in weapons related violence on downtown streets, due in part to gang activity previously contained at the illegal after hours booze cans. Different factions formerly isolated were now bumping into each other in very public places, leading to some very messy and much publicized shootings on the streets outside downtown bars.
Barwatch immediately adopted a policy of mitigation, employing such measures as mandatory weapons wanding, sidewalk security patrols, and mandatory identification data collection, all administered by a third party security firm.
TreoScope mandatory identification systems provided and monitored by a security firm are the norm at most large downtown dance bars. The system holds customers accountable for their actions both while on the premises and after they depart by marrying a real time digital photograph of the patron together with relevant information from the patron’s drivers license and storing the information in a secure database accessible only to the security company. If there is a violent incident, VPD can subpoena the database for an instant review of all who attended the premises on a particular date between specific hours. The system also proves that the operator has checked each and every patron for identification, thereby eliminating liability due to minors gaining entry. Barwatch also championed the passage of the new anti-fighting by-law, which makes fighting in public a penalty subject to a heavy fine.
All of these measures notwithstanding, the potential always exists for an altercation to occur within your premises. A well-trained and coordinated security staff knows that it must be controlled immediately, and all combatants should be expelled, preferably through separate exits at opposite ends of the building to prevent a re-occurrence of the problem. Duty of care dictates that security staff use only enough force necessary to eject the patrons, and that force must be used as a last resort. Most operators have training programs, which accent the importance of verbal interaction as the primary intervention measure.
In every instance, to protect the operator, an incident report should document the event, providing information such as the date and time of the incident, combatants’ descriptions, intervention measures taken and by whom, and witnesses and combatants’ personal information if attainable. If police intervention was required, attending officers’ badge numbers and names should be noted.
If a video record exists, it should be catalogued and saved for at least two years. In an increasingly litigious society, it is imperative that operators protect themselves from potential lawsuits.
Vance Campbell is President of One Hospitality and Vice Chair of Barwatch. He can be reached at 604-788-6353 or vance@onehospitality.com