A Security Officer's Guide to Restoring Calm During a Nightclub Fight

It's Saturday night, and the club is hopping. The music is loud, the place is crowded, and everyone is having a good time. The bar is doing a great business, and sooner or later, all the alcohol is going to bring out aggression in someone. It turns the businessman into a drunk, the lady into a boxer and the biker into someone having to defend himself from the little guy's challenge.

Your job is to maintain security and control of the situation. If someone is too drunk you will ask them to stop drinking for the rest of the evening. If they become unruly you will escort them out of the club. It can be an exciting job, but it can also be a very dangerous job if you aren't trained and ready to face any situation. Including physical fights, drunk and drugged patrons and weapons. You have to fight smart for your protection and that of the clubs other guest.

Know who your backup is and make a plan in case of an emergency. You each need to know you position and stick to it. Each person will have a job to do during an emergency and you have to trust them to do it right. You cannot do all the jobs by yourself and if you try you will jeopardize the safety of everyone. Know each persons skills and abilities.

It is important for everyone to be trained physically to restrain a guest out of control. It is just as important to have someone that can talk a situation down, be in control verbally and everyone must be able to detach emotionally. You will get called names, be accused of everything from being too short to being too stupid but you will NOT react personally. They are only words to direct your attention away from your duty. Everyone should be trained to handle medical emergencies. You will have to learn to handle everything from a cut finger to heart attacks to mental illnesses and even emotional breakdowns.

It is amazing what can go wrong when lots of people of each gender and every race get together for a little fun and lots of drinking. People bump into each other, they say things they would never say to another person when they are sober and they imagine things that are not happening. Much of it has to do with the alcohol and some of it has to do with trying to soothe bruised ego's. Some people are just more aggressive than others and looking for a way to express it at someone else's expense. It's up to you to stop it before it happens or control it when it happens.

The fight usually starts in one central area and if you don't respond fast enough it will spread quickly involving others in the fight. You must be on guard and stop it at the first sign of trouble. When two people begin to throw punches at each other you will notice the group move away from them. The two fighters will not care if anyone else gets hurt, not even you so stay alert. Watch for any weapons used in the fights. Weapons can be anything from a gun, knife or even a beer mug. Don't get in the way of them and try to take them as quickly as possible.

You and your assigned backup get between the two fighters as quickly as possible and separate them as far apart as you can. Do not let them look at each other and do not try to place blame even if you have a good reason. Remember you are working for the club so you will do what is best for it and other guest. If handled correctly these could be returning guest spending more money. Try to place them far enough away from each other they won't hear what the other is saying.

You should try to have two security officers at each person. One to listen and one to watch over the crowd. Other security should try to restore order to the dance floor and encourage everyone to continue with their own good times. Listen to both parties and when you have their stories you can talk to the other security personnel to compare notes. If they are sorry and you think they can go on with the night without fighting again then let them go with a warning you will be watching and next time they are out of the club.

If you decide one is going to continue the fight with the other person and other guest then ask them to leave for the night. Always make sure they know they are welcome to return another time. There are times when you may have to escort both of them out of the club. Try to let them leave at different times from different doors. You don't want the fight to continue in the parking lot if you can help it.

If there are serious injuries you will want to bring in the police to take over. If you must handcuff one or both of them to maintain control remember you will NOT take off the cuffs until the police authorize you too. Get complete identification from both parties and keep a complete record of what happened. If the case goes to court you will have all the information to refresh your memory and place in the hands of the judge.

Do not over react in a fight situation and become one of the problems. You are to maintain control both physically and emotionally. You are to defend your guest and yourself without becoming one of the attackers and hurting someone worse. This could get you thrown in jail for assault. If you do get hurt make sure it is in the report and get medical attention. Be sure to fill out all the proper forms required for workman's comp in case of further problems.

Once it is all over then continue your job just as before. Everyone must see that you are fine and you will do whatever you have to for the protection of the club and everyone in it. Stay calm and do not present the image of the bully because if you do there is always going to be someone that will challenge you. Just because you did great in one fight doesn't mean the next one will go as smooth. You could be shot, stabbed, sprayed with pepper spray, hit, kicked, scratched, pushed or trampled. You must be aware at all times because every fight is different. Be careful and do your job right so the good times are the best of your memories.