Anyone Do Club or Bar Security?

What is the job like? Are you fighting every night or is it generally just checking id’s and frisking people?

Since im on probation, im not allowed to carry a gun until after my probation is up so i might have to wait, but I was considering doing security at a bar or club.

First, since you mentioned a gun you don’t have the personality to do that type of work.

Secondly, I have worked both. I rarely ever got into a fight and if I did it was always because someone attacked me first. If you wish to be good at a job like that you have to have the right personality and temperment. You can diffuse most situations with your words and body language, which is always the best policy. Mainly it is checking I.D’s and keeping the crowd safe from douchebags.

Lastly, before you consider it, I’ve been hit in the head with a pool stick, had pool balls thrown at me, chairs thrown at me, threatened with a knife and have had groups of dudes waiting outside a bar to kick my ass all because I told them they had crossed the line and it was time to leave. I never once even thought about having a gun, so take from that what you will.

I am currently, but it’s a small place. Fighting and frisking depends mostly on what kind of place you’re working at–atmosphere, clientele. Mine is very low key (as of right now. knocks on wood). Hopefully it stays that way.

Oh, and it helps to be nice while you work. That heads off a lot of problems ahead of time, and the ones you don’t head off are unprepared and unbalanced because of your previously nice demeanor. You absolutely cannot be a hot-headed individual if you want to be a good security man. You need to talk down as many situations as you can.

Beat me to it Dave… Clip, when I read your post I wasn’t sure why a firearm comes to mind? Not only is that illegal depending on the state, but it’s just wrong.

I do both club/bar work as well as uniformed security and neither involves my firearm. Like Dave, I have been threatened, been cut, even had a gun shown to me (outside of course).

It’s not a job for everyone.

If I get time later I may expand this post with some thoughts. But I am at work.

Speaking of guns… I work club security here in TN and they just passed a law allowing individuals to carry concealed firearms into bars/clubs. Seriously, what the fuck?

Anyways it’s pretty much what everyone else described. You can usually just diffuse the situation, tell them they are done for the night but hope to see them tomorrow etc etc and yes fights do happen, and they tend to suck because most of the time you will just get sucker punched. You REALLY can’t throw the first punch b/c you will get sued out the ass. So if you are a temperate person, charismatic, and able to handle yourself in sticky situations, you should be good to go.

And yah, bar/club security is definitely not allowed to wear a firearm. You can go with an ASP and mace if you choose but that’s about it. There’s no way I would wear a gun anyways, that would get snatched so fast.

[quote]clip11 wrote:
Since im on probation, im not allowed to carry a gun until after my probation is up so i might have to wait, but I was considering doing security at a bar or club.[/quote]

Seriously? Where in the world did you get the idea that bar/club security personnel are carrying on the job?

Maybe you had something else going on in your head at the time and left out the correlating, salient details for the rest of us…

I don’t mean this as a dig, and I may be wrong, but I’ve always thought you were a younger guy. I bring this up to echo some of the other’s comments…in that it takes a certain level of maturity, experience, reference, temperament and conflict resolution skill to do this kind of job and do it well. And those types of characteristics usually only come with age.

Take it for what it’s worth…YMMV.

I worked in one place as a bouncer in my earlier years. They hired people with records that did time and those guys made the most formidable bouncers. We never carried anything for a weapon, it could be used against you. I did see a bouncer take a gun away from someone one night by force, that was scary.

Most of the time we just checked proof and escorted people out that were having a bad night. There were 3 of us so help was close by if we needed it. You have to be able to defuse tense situations, drunk jealous girl friends, sports arguments and support the bartender’s decision when he cut someone off for whatever reason.

BG

[quote]Big_Dave wrote:
First, since you mentioned a gun you don’t have the personality to do that type of work.

Secondly, I have worked both. I rarely ever got into a fight and if I did it was always because someone attacked me first. If you wish to be good at a job like that you have to have the right personality and temperment. You can diffuse most situations with your words and body language, which is always the best policy. Mainly it is checking I.D’s and keeping the crowd safe from douchebags.

Lastly, before you consider it, I’ve been hit in the head with a pool stick, had pool balls thrown at me, chairs thrown at me, threatened with a knife and have had groups of dudes waiting outside a bar to kick my ass all because I told them they had crossed the line and it was time to leave. I never once even thought about having a gun, so take from that what you will.[/quote]

How do you know what kind of personality I have and you dont know me? A lot of places wont hire you if you cant be strapped. Being strong and able to fight is one thing, but you always got to take ito account that the other person has a weapon.

[quote]Big_Dave wrote:
First, since you mentioned a gun you don’t have the personality to do that type of work.

Secondly, I have worked both. I rarely ever got into a fight and if I did it was always because someone attacked me first. If you wish to be good at a job like that you have to have the right personality and temperment. You can diffuse most situations with your words and body language, which is always the best policy. Mainly it is checking I.D’s and keeping the crowd safe from douchebags.

Lastly, before you consider it, I’ve been hit in the head with a pool stick, had pool balls thrown at me, chairs thrown at me, threatened with a knife and have had groups of dudes waiting outside a bar to kick my ass all because I told them they had crossed the line and it was time to leave. I never once even thought about having a gun, so take from that what you will.[/quote]

Alot of places here wont hire security unless they can carry a weapon, thats why I put it the way I did.

[quote]The Ronin wrote:
Beat me to it Dave… Clip, when I read your post I wasn’t sure why a firearm comes to mind? Not only is that illegal depending on the state, but it’s just wrong.

I do both club/bar work as well as uniformed security and neither involves my firearm. Like Dave, I have been threatened, been cut, even had a gun shown to me (outside of course).

It’s not a job for everyone.

If I get time later I may expand this post with some thoughts. But I am at work.[/quote]

Like I said, most places around ere wont hire you if you cant carry a weapon…its not just that im trigger happy, but shootings are pretty common at bars and clubs here in Detroit. And the only way a security person can stop someone with a gun, especially someone armed whos been drinking, is to have a gun themselves.

[quote]JPCleary wrote:
I’ve always thought you were a younger guy.
[/quote]

I am…im 22.

I used to be a custodian at a school and one of the teachers there had a brother in law that did security at a club in downtown Detroit. Anyway, he had to toss someone out one night and the guy said he would be back up there for him.

Well once the club closed, he was outside as promised and started shooting at the bouncer that threw him out. Another bouncer started shooting at the gunman, and killed him. The other bouncer did get shot and had to go to the hospital, but he wasnt gravely wounded.

Well first of all you say you are on probation and have to wait till after to get a CCP let me tell you after you are done with your probation and apply for it be ready for rejection. NO ONE with a record can carry a firearm you can get oked to get hunting rifles but you will not be able to get a CCP.

And I have worked in both clubs and bars in Detroit MI, New York NY, and Bridgeport CT. And none of the guys I worked with had guns on them or would want a gun on them. You open a hole different can or worms if you even show someone your gun let alone pull it out to use it.

Now security is a different thing there are some security guards that get permits to carry on the job but if you talk with most of them they are either current cops or ex-cops so it is alot easier for them to get the permit.

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
Speaking of guns… I work club security here in TN and they just passed a law allowing individuals to carry concealed firearms into bars/clubs. Seriously, what the fuck?

Anyways it’s pretty much what everyone else described. You can usually just diffuse the situation, tell them they are done for the night but hope to see them tomorrow etc etc and yes fights do happen, and they tend to suck because most of the time you will just get sucker punched. You REALLY can’t throw the first punch b/c you will get sued out the ass. So if you are a temperate person, charismatic, and able to handle yourself in sticky situations, you should be good to go.

And yah, bar/club security is definitely not allowed to wear a firearm. You can go with an ASP and mace if you choose but that’s about it. There’s no way I would wear a gun anyways, that would get snatched so fast.[/quote]

If it’s true that law is insane are you still going to refrain from carrying a gun even with the new law?

For everybody else I believe michigan gun laws are a little different with all the patrons packing they probably require security to carry.

[quote]Airtruth wrote:
waylanderxx wrote:
Speaking of guns… I work club security here in TN and they just passed a law allowing individuals to carry concealed firearms into bars/clubs. Seriously, what the fuck?

Anyways it’s pretty much what everyone else described. You can usually just diffuse the situation, tell them they are done for the night but hope to see them tomorrow etc etc and yes fights do happen, and they tend to suck because most of the time you will just get sucker punched. You REALLY can’t throw the first punch b/c you will get sued out the ass. So if you are a temperate person, charismatic, and able to handle yourself in sticky situations, you should be good to go.

And yah, bar/club security is definitely not allowed to wear a firearm. You can go with an ASP and mace if you choose but that’s about it. There’s no way I would wear a gun anyways, that would get snatched so fast.

If it’s true that law is insane are you still going to refrain from carrying a gun even with the new law?

For everybody else I believe michigan gun laws are a little different with all the patrons packing they probably require security to carry.[/quote]

After a quick look at MI gun laws it seems that bars are off limits to carry guns. Now I know that most of the people with the guns don’t care about laws I am sure that the bar/club owner would not be happy if his employee’s were cought with guns and he had to start paying fines.

Are you just making these threads because you are looking into a new career? I know you made that military thread. I’m just curious.

I worked as a doorman at a show club in Hawaii, then moved to Idaho. We would break up fights about two times a weekend, but about twice a month the hothead brawlers would turn around to fight us. I did that for one year. It felt pretty cool and high & mighty for the first month, then it ended up being just a helluva lot of standing and staring. I don’t think I would enjoy to do it again. Once you get some sort of authority, you feel good 'n proud, but when the thrill wears off, it is just a job like any other IMO.

[quote]Big_Dave wrote:
First, since you mentioned a gun you don’t have the personality to do that type of work.

Secondly, I have worked both. I rarely ever got into a fight and if I did it was always because someone attacked me first. If you wish to be good at a job like that you have to have the right personality and temperment. You can diffuse most situations with your words and body language, which is always the best policy. Mainly it is checking I.D’s and keeping the crowd safe from douchebags.

Lastly, before you consider it, I’ve been hit in the head with a pool stick, had pool balls thrown at me, chairs thrown at me, threatened with a knife and have had groups of dudes waiting outside a bar to kick my ass all because I told them they had crossed the line and it was time to leave. I never once even thought about having a gun, so take from that what you will.[/quote]

AGREED,

You do not have the personality to successfully handle a job like this. You are too much of a cowboy, starting threads about prison and violence. If you get a job like this, it will surely add to the already very high probability you will get in serious trouble.

You are doing your paper right now, not sure how much you have to do, but I had 3 years and it aint fun. You think this sucks now? Wait til your stupidity gets you into trouble, and you are in a 6x9.

I am not trying to talk shit to you, but honestly I met tons of guys like you while locked up. Thinking it made them tough. Dude if you have half a brain you will learn from your already made mistake. Wise up dude. Just so you know, if you have a felony and get caught POSESSING a firearm (not even discharging it), you get an automatic 5 years in FED prison with NO good time credit and also NO halfway house. That means you are doing every day of 5 years, a silencer gives you 5 more totaling 10 yrs. Stop thinking like this ok.

[quote]MaximusB wrote:

Dude if you have half a brain [/quote]

That appears to be his problem.