The Partnering Approach to Entertainment Policing
August 2004
Policing an area’s entertainment sites has become an important issue in tourism. Not only are these sites open to criminal activity, but as places in which large crowds congregate, tourism officials must deal with an evermore-nervous public. One way to lessen anxieties and to increase profits is by involving both local police departments and security professionals in the total entertainment experience.
Entertainment security policing must deal with such ever-changing challenges as patron behavior, overcrowding in bars, over consumption of alcoholic beverages, and crowd management at the end of the evening. The younger offenders may be involved in underage drinking, using false identification, unlawful use of tobacco, and possession of alcohol and other illegal drugs. In periods of high terrorism anxiety or threats, police officers/security professionals need to be trained on how to switch from anti-criminal policies to anti-terrorism policies.
The work of the Irvine, California (USA) Police Department can serve as an example for other tourism areas that rely heavily on tourism entertainment centers. The following information is not only important for tourism professionals but should also be shared with local police departments and security professionals. Tourism Tidbits thanks Sergeant Al Murray of the Irvine (California, USA) police department for his insights and input.
- Know your clientele. Are you catering to a local population or to principally visitors or both? What is the demographic make up of the crowd? Determine your policing by such demographics as age groupings, locations, gender etc.
- Develop a policing philosophy. Different types of philosophies lead to distinct policing guidelines. Does your community want soft or strong policing? Is the goal a community-oriented form of policing or tourism policing? Does the police department determine this philosophy alone or as part of the community’s overall tourism entertainment strategy?
- Stress partnerships, proactive enforcement, education, and technology. In order to develop a proactive entertainment security relationship, involve others including business owners, the fire authority, alcohol licensing authority and the entertainment center’s management group. Come together on a regular basis and exchange problems as well as ideas, solutions and successes. The entertainment security team needs to be ever mindful that security challenges are never stagnant. What has worked in the past may not be viable in the future and vice versa.
- Meet regularly. all tourism stakeholders should be part of regular business meetings and training presentations. Some of the topics that may be discussed are current crime trends, issues of terrorism, approaches to crime problems, how to manage occupancy levels, responsible alcohol beverage serving, fire safety, false identification recognition, and handling/processing citizen arrests. Use these meetings to break down barriers between the police and the public and establish open lines of communication.
- Teach police/security officials that they are responsible not only for issues of physical security, but also for economic security. Most police officers have little knowledge of tourism and tourism science. As such, they see themselves as independent from the tourism industry and at times can be counter-productive to it. It is to the tourism industry’s benefit to help integrate local police departments into the economic viability of the community. Officers working in entertainment centers should be public relations specialists, good communicators and patient, yet capable in arrest and control techniques and tactical response to emergencies.
- Remind all stakeholders that good safety and security begins with good tourism information. Consider increasing your visible law enforcement by developing one of more storefront police substations. These stations need to be open when the visitors are there. Tourism officials may also want to staff the substation so that there is a partnership between the police units and the tourism industry. Also develop police/security professional uniforms that are easy to identify and reinforce the area’s tourism message. For example, police in some Texas tourism entertainment areas use a cowboy/police type uniform that identifies them as security but reinforces the area’s Western heritage.
- Train, train and train. Entertainment centers often draw large crowds that produce multiple challenges. The Irvine police department offers its entertainment policing members special training in such areas as recognition of false identification, occupancy limitations and crowd management.
- Make sure that your security people know how to handle issues of over consumption of alcoholic beverages. No one can predict how any one person will handle alcohol consumption. Officers should conduct bar checks nightly in such a way as to allow customers to know that they are in a safe and friendly environment. For those who may be impaired due to heavy alcoholic consumption, a pro-active ride (or walk) home program needs to be established. Women patrons should be made aware of the fact that every effort is being made to assure beverage purity. Police/Security professionals should never forget that incidents negatively impact the area’s economy.
- Rehearse closing policies. One of the most challenging responsibilities for an entertainment security team is the end of the evening crowd management. After an evening of eating, dancing, and drinking, visitors may be hesitant to leave the premises at closing time. Remember that the greater the number of venues, the greater the number of people leaving the venue at the same time. This same-time venue leaving may cause both traffic problems and in some cases potentials for inter-group tensions. To lessen these problems consider multiple announcements that “the evening is concluding”, and establish or increase escort services to parking areas and increased lighting around the premises.
- Consider how much technology is right for your center. The key here is the right amount for your area. Use technology when it will add to your security and not because it is simply the newest “toy.” For example, the Irvine entertainment officers are equipped with a cell phone while on duty. All of the entertainment center stakeholders have cell phone numbers so they can make immediate contact with an officer when needed rather than having to go through police dispatch. Internet and fax communication also play an important part in maintaining immediate contact. The Irvine Police Department’s crime unit also disseminates crime bulletins and other information via a business network established. In some cases, security camera systems and recorders may also be of value. These electronic devices greatly assist in monitoring behavior of both employees and patrons. These cameras may also provide valuable court evidence should it be needed in cases where patrons have been arrested for causing disturbances.
- Never assume that your task is completed. As with any policing/security strategy, your model must remain fluid and flexible. Keep up with changes in local, national, and international conditions; Tourism and entertainment centers can be impacted by any of these changes. Today’s public is ever mindful of terrorism and security issues; the challenge for law enforcement/security professionals is to maintain safe tourism entertainment centers as a positive marketing tool for tourism and community economic development.
A special thanks to Al Murray of the Irvine, California (USA) police department for his sharing many of Irvine PDs ideas with the tourism community.
