Security and the lodging industry [compatibility mode]

Security and the Lodging
Industry

Saturday, January 19, 2013 AHLA: Security and Loss Prevention Slide 1 /36

Scope
• A Growing Concern.
• Developing the security program.
• Setting up the security program.
• The elements of security training.
• Security and the Law.
• Legal Definitions.
• Case studies.


The Growing Concern
• Rise in the Crime Rate.
• Growing number of Lawsuits.
• What has become a legal duty of
establishments.
• The requirement of a security program.


Elements of a Security Program
•Doors, locks, key control, access control
•Guestroom security
• Control of persons on premises
• Perimeter and grounds control
• Protection of assets
•Emergency procedures


Elements of a Security Program
•Communications
• Security records
• Staff security procedures

• In addition a property’s design and layout
can greatly affect its security program.
• For Lodging establishments


The Need for effective
management
• To create conscious awareness.
• Keep all informed of crime and its rise in
society.
• To keep all involved in the changing needs
of property.
• Draft and review of policy matter duly
approved by the legal department.
• Recognition of security as a management
tool.

Areas of Vulnerability….1
• The extent in the increase of crime
because of changes in the culture,
economy and lifestyle.
• Crimes against guest can be damaging to
reputation of the establishment.
• Designing a security program should be
taking the image of the guest in mind and
the property’s image.
• Another area is finance.

a. Offering credit to the credit unworthy.
b. Use of fraudulent credit cards.
c. Personal checks.
d. Travelers checks.
e. Bad debts with travel agents and
companies.


• Although these incidents of Financial and
movable property losses are less visible to
the public they cause internal losses and
may fall into the category of irrecoverable
debts.


• Protection of physical assets.
• Losses of flatware, Linen, ashtrays are
common.
• But stealing of color TV sets is often a
major loss.
• Employee theft or Employee assisted theft
is one major area.


Security requirements
• The crime rate has been on a steady decline
in the USA since the late 1990’s.
• The growth of the industry in many forms has
brought numerous challenges.
• No two establishments have the same
security requirements.
• There is no fixed standard as the norms of
the US National security standards are not
feasible for a varied industry.

Basis for Setting up the Security
Program
• Evaluating many factors in Security
requirements.
• Depending on the event occurrences and
their repetitive nature.
• Financial and asset losses incurred in theft.
• Budgets allotted for a program.
• Working relationships with local law
enforcement agencies.


The Importance of Law
enforcement liaison…1
• First hand information is provided by the
local law enforcement agencies on the
types of crimes and names are divulged,
summarized records of offenders are
available.
• Community crime watch provides
information.


• Publicize the incident.
• Within the hospitality sector and other
establishment without revealing names.
• Its better to consult the legal department
before taking such a step of negative
publicity.
• Send a file of names of employees and SS
#’s to the authorities for a background check.


• Many fast food restaurants offer police
discounts on food and beverage.
• Advantage of the liaison will also
overcome the problem of reporting the
incident directly to the police.
• The efficiency between the law
enforcement agencies and Private security
personnel.


Security Staffing
• To Hire full time or Part time.
• Local off duty police personnel.
• Assign responsibility to Resident Manager,
Chief Engineer or Human resource
director.
• Contract Security.
• In-House Security.
• Off duty police.

Security Staffing: Contract
Security Companies
•Screened, tested, and trained personnel
• Consulting services
a. Surveys on hotel security requirements
b. Debugging sweeps.
c. Data processing security
d.Contingency planning: bomb threats &
Disaster management including natural.

Security Staffing: Contract
Security Companies
•Decision checklist
•Guard training programs
•Previous lodging experience
•State certification, if applicable
•Property inspection frequency
•Staffing for large-scale emergency
•Daily incident reporting to management
•Liability and workers’ compensation issues

Disadvantages of Contract
security
• The guards being over friendly to the
employee.
• Rotation of guards every six months could
be an expensive proposition.
• Repeated training for guards in the new
premises could be time consuming.


Security Staffing:
In-House Security Staff
Greater control over security officers
• More focused training
• Quality of personnel hotels priority
• More effective integration with other hotel
departments
• Career paths can reduce security officer
turnover

Off Duty Police
• Typical feature of many US. Corporations and
Casinos.
• Superior training of Vigilance, watch and
ward.
• Training in reacting in emergencies,
knowledge of law.
• Connection with law enforcement authorities.
• Better foresight in crime prevention.


Personnel Practices
• Security concerns must be addressed
during selection.
• Personnel screening and importance of
asset protection must be stressed.
• Insurance companies should be contacted
to find out more about the employee.
• Scheduling of security should be given
prime importance.

Supervision
• The Security director appointed in larger
properties almost has the same
responsibilities as a Resident manager,
assistant manager, Chief engineer or
HRM.
• Should include a member of the
management or executive planning
committee for greater cooperation.


The elements of security
training
• Structured orientation needed for existing
and new security including off duty police
officers.
• Similarly orientation should be given to
employees as well.
• Limits of use of force or intervention to be
highlighted.
• Limits of authority for Police, Guards and
citizens to be cleared.

training
• Training depends on facilities needs which
would generally be based upon:
1. Protection of guests.
2. The general public.
3. Assets of guests and employees.
4. Protection of property.
• Emergency management should also be
a key differentiator in the training.

training
• Training documents like the Health safety
and security manual should always be
present.
• Discuss the latest development in security
training and technology.
• Preventive measures and corrective action
taken by other organizations as record:
• Techniques such as Incident and
Investigation reports, Patrol techniques,
Saturday, January 19, 2013

access control.
AHLA: Security and Loss Prevention Slide 26 /36

training
• Other methods such as fire prevention,
alarm systems and communication
systems.
• The security training must comprise of
action oriented skills around theoretical
training of technological operation of
systems.


Advantages and disadvantages
of Security training
• Comprehensive evidence in law suits.
• Attrition and change of positions makes
training expensive.
• Using experienced employees who don’t
need training and compared against
experienced employees with unwillingness to
learn.
• Using peer training may prove effective
especially the on the job type.

• Employees resist training when they get
to know that the trainers are poorly
prepared.
• Poor preparation.
• Lack of training experience.
• Communication skills.
• Lack of articulation.
• Deficient in skills.
• Ineffective in appraisal and follow-up.

• Time and money consumption an Investment.
• Proper training reduces attrition.
• The training should be apportioned “On a
need to know basis” which means that the
employees should not be bogged down with
an overload.
• Security standards and procedures should be
handed down specific to employees.


Case of Victims against
Vacation Village & Burns
1. I million in damages paid by Vacation Village
to Victims.
2. Vacation village also sued burns for failure
to provide trained security.
3. Burns had provided untrained, unsupervised
security officers for the 44 acre complex.
4. One morning 4 armed using a master key
got into a rooms and committed atrocities on
the residents.

Case of Victims against
Vacation Village & Burns
• Burns security defended itself by saying
that Vacation Village had not changed its
locks and the master key was missing.
• And Vacation village had a bad attitude
towards their security.
• And that they had warned Vacation village
of the same while discussions were
repeatedly refused.

Terminology
• Tort Law. • Tortious acts.
• False arrest. • Citizens arrest.
• False Prosecution • Statutory arrest.
• Larceny. • Felony.
• Perjury. • Commission of
• Malicious Persecution. misdemeanor.
• Defamation. • Search.
• Slander. • Interrogation.
• Use of force. • Miranda warnings

Terminology
• Proximate cause • Appellant
• Legal Cause • Appellee
• Compensatory damages • Foresee ability.
• Plaintiff.
• Respondent.
• Trial court.
• Summary Judgment.
• Directed Verdict.
• Punitive damages.
• N.O.V.


Questions

Comments

Direct Reference
• Security and Loss Prevention
Management
• 2nd Edition
• American Hotel and Lodging Educational
institute.
• Ellis, Raymond. C Jr.
• Stipaunk. David. M


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