How to Assess Threat Levels Like a Bouncer

When you're young, you're taught that fighting is never the answer, As you get older, it becomes apparent that sometimes it is the only answer. When you work in any form of law enforcement or security position, there will be times when you must fight. The key is to know when to engage in an altercation and when not to. By assessing the threat level of a situation, you will be able to not only end many confrontations without physical violence, but also you'll know how to end physical confrontations with as little force as possible.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

How to Assess Threat Levels Like a Bouncer

1. Weed out some potential problems before they ever set foot into an establishment, for example, if someone's already intoxicated or appears rowdy, don't let him in. If there's a large group that seems to be looking for trouble, don't allow them to enter. If a person's carrying a weapon that you've had to confiscate, it's a good idea to keep that person out. A good door man can do his part by performing pre-assessments of all potential patrons before allowing them entry.

2. Keep an eye on the crowd and look for signs that an altercation may be starting---patrons fleeing from an area, clusters of people, loud and unusual noises. These are not always indicative of an altercation but are among the first signs that may be noticed. Once you notice something suspicious, watch the actions of the participants and the immediate surroundings. Fights happen quickly; if what you are watching lasts anymore than a few seconds, chances are there is nothing going on. Of course, it's better to be safe than sorry---get some backup and investigate the situation. Yelling, shoving, jumping around and wild hand motions and body language can all be indicative of a hostile situation brewing. Seeing this should trigger immediate action from a bouncer.

3. Approach with caution when you see what you believe to be an altercation. As you approach, notice your surroundings and all possible participants in the altercation. Scan the participants and check whether any of them have bottles in their hands, or bulges in their pockets that could be concealed weapons. Preparedness is your best friend and weapon in any potential situation. Quite obviously, bottles can be a problem. Bulges in the pockets may be concealed knives, brass knuckles or possibly hand guns.

4. Determine the level of the threat, as this will determine what actions should be taken. There are several levels of threat, from minimal to life threatening, each of which requires a different response, primarily for legal reasons, but also for safety reasons. There is no need to cause or risk unnecessary harm. A single person or an altercation involving two people with no visible weapons indicates a minimal threat. In situations like this, the participants are usually more concerned with each other than with security, and it's usually pretty easy to get them out of the establishment. The involvement of an offender's friends or the involvement of a weapon such as a bottle or blunt object represents a level-two threat---a situation that has the potential to get ugly but can still be handled swiftly with minimal force. If the offender has several friends, and / or if there are multiple weapons involved and they are intent on hurting you, the level of threat has increased to three, or potentially life threatening.

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