Handling Drunk And Disorderly Behaviour: Tips For Door Supervisors

With it being the final weekend before Christmas, you can be sure to expect hordes of highly intoxicated customers flow through the doors. That’s great news for business owners, but not so great news for door supervisors. Chances are, if you’re working this weekend, your hands are going to be full.

Not only will you have worry about monitoring the swelling crowds of people queuing or gathering outside the venue, but you’ll also have to ensure that they’re kept under control.

So, because we’re feeling charitable, we thought we’d share some quick tips on how to best cope with the chaos.

Be nice

While It’s tempting to be on your guard, drunks will respond better to someone who approaches them in a friendly manner, opposed to an authoritative one.

Call for ‘friendly’ back-up

If a situation escalates, you might assume calling for backup to be the best course of action to follow, but believe it or not, the most effective means of support will be involving the drunk’s sober friend or colleague. The drunk will always better respond to a friend rather than a member of security staff.

 Never try to boss a drunk around

No matter how rowdy a drunk might get, when reasoning with one, I’s always a good idea to speak to them in a non-dictating tone. The simple fact is, drunks don’t like being told what to do. So instead, when engaging with them, offer choices like, ‘Want me to call you a cab?’ or ‘I’d rather help you out, than have to call the police.’ Statements like these can save you a world of trouble.

Don’t show fear

If there’s one thing drunks can sense, it’s fear. They’ll be times when a drunk is practically sniffing for it, aka ‘looking for trouble’ – so it’s a good idea to appear confident yet non-threatening.

Ask them questions about themselves

Sparing a few minutes to engage the drunk in a friendly manner, could potentially distract them turning violent or worse. When you can, try to direct the drunk away from the disturbance. This can be done both physically and verbally.

Remember safety should always come first, not just for others, but yourself also.

How to work in the security sector

If you are interested in working in the security sector, whether it be as a Door Supervisor, Security Guard or CCTV Operative, you will need to obtain a SIA Licence.

To obtain a SIA Licence, you will need to complete a course. Once you have completed the course, will you then be able to apply for an SIA Licence and work in the security sector.

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