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How to be a Great Private Security Guard: De-escalation Tactics for Venues Serving Alcohol

 

Private security guards are tasked with operating keeping an eye on patrons and patrolling certain areas of a venue. This can be challenging when you have people entering and leaving the building all the time, especially if they’re being allowed access to alcohol at the location. Operating a secure venue is not always going to be an easy task for any security guard. However, it can become much easier if you know the right de-escalation tactics to employ. De-escalation is the act of calming someone down before talking to them in a calm and rational manner. It is important for private security guards operating in any venue that serves alcohol to have de-escalation tactics in place as situations may escalate easily! 

Know Your Audience: Appropriate De-escalation Tactics

If you know what the key issues are in your venue and with your clientele, then you can better respond appropriately. This allows you to recognize signs of problematic behavior and help you de-escalate situations before they turn into potential fights. For example, if large amounts of people are getting visibly drunk and are making lewd comments to the staff or other customers, this is a sign that you may need to call the police. In some cases, it may be necessary to use physical restraint tactics to help keep the situation from getting out of control. If, however, people are getting intoxicated enough for it to be visible, but not so intoxicated that they’re causing a scene, then you can relax a bit. You can still intervene if something unsafe is happening, like if a patron is having an accident.

Always Check IDs Before Allowing Venue Entry

This image shows a bouncer at a club/bar checking two individuals’ IDs prior to entry. This image is used in the BPS Security article titled, “How to be a Great Private Security Guard: De-escalation Tactics for Venues Serving Alcohol ”.

This is another basic that goes along with knowing your audience. Many venues allow patrons to enter with little to no ID checks unless there is a specific issue that has been reported to the security team. However, if you are able, it’s important to check IDs whenever a patron is trying to enter a venue. ID checks help to make sure that a person is actually allowed entry. That being said, ID checks are not always possible as many venues will allow patrons to enter and exit freely when the doors are open.

Be Calm and Respectful in Verbal Communications

Venue workers and clients can sometimes become frustrated or angry when you stop them from drinking, especially if they are drinking on their own time. It is important not to take this personally and to be as respectful and calm as possible. For example, it is normal to get annoyed when someone tries to enter a venue with open alcohol and refuses to leave, but you must keep your cool when communicating with these individuals.

Know When to Use Violence-Resistant Tactics

Certain de-escalation tactics are meant to be violence-resistant, meaning that they are meant to be used in situations where they will not cause injury and will have minimal force. These tactics may be more appropriate in some situations than others. If someone is being belligerent and unwilling to listen to you or others, it is important to use the least amount of force possible.

Conclusion

Private security guards are tasked with patrolling venues and keeping an eye on patrons. De-escalation helps to calm people down before talking to them in a calm and rational manner. It is important for private security guards working  in any venue that serves alcohol to have de-escalation tactics in place as situations may escalate easily.

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