TASMANIA POLICE
Sergeant Peter Adricopolous, OIC of Southern Licensing Services
Tasmania Police have a vested interest in ensuring the safety of staff employed in the hospitality and security industries. In support of police efforts, an awareness by staff of behaviours that support their individual safety as an employee is integral to maintaining a safe work environment. Frustrations felt by the public due to Covid- related restrictions are highly likely to flow to staff at licensed premises/in the service industry, with one possible outcome being a need to deal with and manage aggressive customers/patrons. With that in mind we suggest the following strategies or tips: • Be familiar with the location of surveillance cameras and point them out to aggressive patrons should they need the reminder. Ensure you stay within that surveillance area if possible, so all evidence can be captured in support of the staff response; • Call other staff members to assist you – a multiple member response will make the patron think twice. The more staff available to assist the better;
• Move to safe areas such as behind the bar or into locked rooms, keep your body out of harm’s way/out of reach; • Don’t hesitate to require a patron to leave a licensed premises. The Liquor Licensing Act allows staff to do so on behalf of the Licensee. Aggression or quarrelsome behaviour is an offence, intoxication also is not allowed. Importantly, no reason to leave has to be provided to a patron acting aggressively or inappropriately. Ask them to leave and should they fail to do so, call Security or Taspol; • Consider making a request of Licensing Police to issue barring orders to any patrons deemed unwelcome to return due to threats or actual aggression. This could also include staff who are being stalked by patrons. Whatever the identified issue with problematic patrons, please know that Licensing police are always willing to liaise with staff who have concerns for their safety and provide necessary advice/assistance if required. A safe night out, is a good night out!
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