Welcome to the first post of Bouncers' Wisdom. I will be posting stories and simple advice based on situations we encounter working security at a bar. While the people and situations may seem outlandish or unbelievable I assure you they are real.
Situation: Patron takes off his shirt and breaks a beer bottle on the dance floor. He is escorted out for disruptive behavior. His friends follow and playfully try to walk him back to the car to go home. The patron then headbutts the window and is pushed away by his friends before security confronts him. The patron then decides to wrap his hand with his shirt and punch out a window, he is stopped by the security staff and informed that this behavior is entirely unacceptable. His friend become enraged and attempts to fight the staff.
Some wisdom courtesy of the drunk guy at 1:45AM:
We have all seen the drunk, crazed guy who gets escorted out of the bar misbehave outside. He believes that he is beyond the reach of the staff on the sidewalk and paces back and forth. Cussing, taking off his shirt and fighting with his friends; he doesn't want his show to be over and seeks the patrons' attention through the window. For the most part bouncers will let this go. If he is not inhibiting our business we chalk this up as just another drunk guy who isn't ready to go home.
Bouncers' Wisdom: Punching windows gets you in trouble.
If he/she legitmately attempts to break an establishment's window he/she will get in trouble. If he succeeds the police are called to arrest him for vandalism and destruction of property along with potential assault charges since the broken glass puts staff and customers' in danger. The venue's management who already stay until 4-5AM are there even longer since we have to file a police report and internal incident reports for accountability and liability purposes for insurance and repairs. They can't go home since the broken window puts the venue in danger of break-ins.
If they are unsuccessful there is a reasonable chance security will handle the customer/vandal to impart the severity of his actions and to make sure that everyone knows this can't be tolerated.
If you are said knucklehead's friends do not try to back him up when he gets confronted by the staff. He is absolutely in the wrong and we are required to stop him before he can act further. I understand he is your friend but at some point you need to learn that your drunk friends can and will get you in trouble and it is always a bad idea to attack the security staff because your moron friend tried to break our property.
Our job is to protect the bar: property, business, staff and customers. You are probably drunk and definately wrong. Go home and come back and have a drink next week.
Drink responsibly and be safe,
-Polite Bouncer
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