Search Procedures Flashcards

A door supervisor discovers a patron is carrying a legal prescription medication in an unlabelled container during a bag search. What should they do?

Answer: Ask the patron to explain the medication, note the details, and allow entry if satisfied with the explanation

Door supervisors should use professional judgement. If a patron states medication is prescribed, they should ask reasonable questions, note the details in the incident log, and make a proportionate decision. Automatic confiscation or police involvement is disproportionate. However, if there is genuine suspicion the substance is illegal, escalation may be appropriate.

What does the term 'condition of entry' mean in the context of venue search policies?

Answer: Patrons must agree to be searched as a requirement for gaining entry to the premises

A 'condition of entry' means that the venue sets out terms that patrons must agree to in order to gain access. When searching is a condition of entry, patrons consent to being searched by choosing to enter. This is a contractual arrangement between the venue and patron, not a legal power of search. If the patron refuses, they are simply denied entry.

When conducting a search of a patron in a wheelchair, what is the most appropriate approach?

Answer: Adapt the search technique to the patron's position, explain each step, and search any bags or compartments on the wheelchair

Door supervisors should make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 while still maintaining security. This means adapting the search technique, clearly explaining each step, and including any bags or storage compartments on the wheelchair. Wheelchair users should not be exempt from searches, but the approach must respect their dignity and needs.

A group of three young men approach a venue and one is found to have a small amount of cannabis during a consent search. The other two are clean. What is the best course of action regarding the group?

Answer: Refuse entry to the individual found with cannabis, allow the other two to enter if they pass their searches

The decision should be based on individual assessment. The person found with cannabis should be refused entry and the substance dealt with according to the venue's drug policy. The other two patrons, having been searched and found clean, should be judged on their own merits. Blanket refusal of an entire group without cause could lead to complaints of unfair treatment.

What is an 'amnesty bin' and where should it be positioned at a venue?

Answer: A secure container placed before the search point where patrons can voluntarily dispose of prohibited items without penalty

An amnesty bin is a secure container placed before the main search point, allowing patrons to voluntarily dispose of prohibited items (drugs, weapons, etc.) without facing prosecution or confrontation. It must be clearly signposted and positioned where patrons can use it discreetly before reaching the search area. Its contents should be handled by police.

A door supervisor suspects a patron has concealed an item internally (inside their body). What should the door supervisor do?

Answer: Take no further search action regarding the concealment but refuse entry and inform the police of the suspicion

Door supervisors must never conduct intimate searches under any circumstances. Only police officers or registered medical practitioners have the authority to conduct intimate searches, and only under the provisions of PACE. If internal concealment is suspected, the door supervisor should refuse entry to the venue and pass the information to the police.