Two people were killed and 16 wounded in a shooting at a nightclub in Fort Myers, Florida this week. It follows the another attack by a gunman on a gay nightclub six weeks ago that left 49 people dead.
Two people were killed and 16 wounded in a shooting at a nightclub in Fort Myers, Florida this week. It follows the another attack by a gunman on a gay nightclub six weeks ago that left 49 people dead. These incidents captured the attention of media and observers around the globe and much debate has ensued on the motive of the killer and concerns on the increasing numbers of terrorist attacks.
Perhaps what did not get as much attention as it deserved was the subject of what nightclubs should do to improve the safety of their customers. Nightclubs are soft targets for attacks due to the large numbers of people gathering there and the informal atmosphere it encourages.
To many experts, security should start with the right planning. Bryan Strawser, Principal Consultant & CEO at Bryghtpath, pointed out that in many nightclubs security and staffing is taken very lightly.
“In many situations involving nightclubs and bars, security design and staffing is often an afterthought rather than being an integral part of the business,” Strawser said. “Often security staffing is inadequate for crowd and overall threat profile of the business. Businesses could rectify this by fully evaluating their risks and building a security program that is centered on mitigating and responding to their identified risks.”
Others focused on the quality of the nightclub staff. Tommy Burns, President of Burns & Associates, suggested that what is currently lacking in this segment is a lack of training.
“[The main issues currently] are a lack of training for the staff, and lack of policies and procedures, lack of post-orders, as in the things that they are supposed to do,” Burns said.
But providing security to nightclubs is not as easy as with other businesses. There are certain specific challenges that come with the inherent nature of nightclub operation and these pose significant risks of leaving gaps in the security structure.
Challenges to securing nightclubs
The very fact that most people in bars and nightclubs are often in an inebriated condition is the first challenge to making the place secure. But then that’s the nature of the business and an inevitable hurdle that has to be worked around. Complicating things further are the large numbers of people that throng these places.
But perhaps the biggest challenge of all is the low light conditions that nightclubs operate under.
“Bars and nightclubs are difficult to secure because of the presence of alcohol, large crowds, minimal security staffing, and the general lighting environment,” Strawser said. “Often these businesses are dimly lit, have dance/strobe lights, and loud music, making it both difficult to see criminal activity and recognize an attack when it does happen. Bars and nightclubs can better product themselves by hiring adequate staff, carefully evaluating their risks, and adopting security measures appropriate to their identified risks.”
Burns too noted that the challenges include providing a safe environment while keeping it open. Customers might not like their bags being checked, being subjected to metal detection checks, or even a TSA-style frisking. Nightclub owners, on the other hand would be wary of scaring away the customers with these kind of checks which are actually necessary. The challenge then, is to strike a balance and ensure that the security remains tight while customers go through as less hassles as possible.
Practical solutions
Asked about the ideal, practical solution for nightclub security, Burns elaborated on his previous point that the major inadequacy is lack of trained staff.
“[Nightclubs need] an ample amount of security personnel that’s trained,” said Burns. “Most practical security solution for a nightclub includes a fully-trained security staff.”
Strawser gave a broader view, indicating that a security plan should be put in place after careful consideration of all variables involved.
“As in any business, we strongly recommend evaluating all risks that could impact a business and then adopting security measures to mitigate or eliminate those risks,” Strawser said. “For example, having a strong, professional security force at the entrance to a club with effective security screening such as magnetometers and bag checks can help deter criminal activity involving weapons and other contraband.”
Training and technology the key
When it comes to securing nightclubs, achieving the right balance between training and technology would be the ideal solution. Clearly, not all nightclubs are so equipped.
To be fair to nightclub owners, they have to face the challenge of ensuring security without scaring the customers away. Too much technology can hinder their business and this is not good either.
However, it is time nightclubs explored the advanced security solutions that are currently available in the market. For instance, the latest low-light cameras can be the right answer to the dim-lit environments of nightclubs. With such new systems in place, nightclubs can ensure their businesses run safe and smooth.