Should i be a bouncer

Bouncers are not security officers. A security officer is a person who is licensed to provide security services. Bouncers without a special license are regular employees of the establishment for which they work. As employees of an employer establishment, bouncers are subject to the ordinary legal rules regarding the use of force and the use of restraint or detention.

The ordinary rules regarding the use of force require that force may be used only in self-defense. A bouncer may not forcibly remove an individual from a public establishment. Rather, they must call the police to do so. In addition, patron behavior that an ordinary person would simply find irritating or annoying, does not constitute a threat that would justify the use of force. Bouncers can perform only those job tasks permitted by law.

These include:. If a person who is a patron is restrained and it is not justified, then the patron can sue the bouncer for the civil wrong of false imprisonment. A bouncer could be civilly liable for false imprisonment if they:. False imprisonment is referred to as unlawful restraint in some states, but the essential elements of this civil wrong are essentially the same:.

I was Assaulted By a Bouncer. What Should I Do? The patron can assert a claim of civil assault or battery. Bouncer and security jobs are expected to grow at about the same rate as all other professions in the U. Club security work has high turnover, with many people employed in these jobs part-time or short-term, which means new opportunities are constantly becoming available.

Job prospects improve if you have previous experience as a bouncer or a background in security or law enforcement. By Chron Contributor Updated September 14, Related Articles. Some states even require a bouncer to submit to a complete criminal background check including fingerprinting. An individual who has a record of crime, issues with intoxication or a tendency toward violence would not be considered appropriate for the role. There would be a perceived danger that a bouncer with a record may be more likely to cross certain boundaries in the course of the job and may even cause unnecessary physical harm in confrontation with a difficult patron.

Most establishments that hire bouncers will require the bouncers to attend some kind of training either in-house or provided by an outside security training organization.

Training may include legal issues and laws concerning use of physical force, alcohol, under-aged patrons and proper criminal procedures in working with law enforcement. Training also may encompass acceptable combat and self-defense moves for a bouncer in addition to sensitivity training to ensure bouncers are not overly aggressive in the course of the job.

In many countries, federal and state governments have taken steps to professionalize the industry by requiring bouncers to pass training, licensing, and criminal records background checks before working. With the responsibility of communicating information in the club, bouncers are in a key role within the club e. Bouncers control crowds by explaining club policies and procedures by asking people not to block entrances, exits, stairwells, and other high-traffic areas.

Bouncers provide first aid if someone is injured at the nightclub. In a large nightclub, the bouncers are a part of a security team that includes friskers, surveillance staff, a doorman, and floor men.

All of these security staff report to a chief of security, who in turn, reports to the general manager. Although a common stereotype of bouncers is that of the thuggish brute, a good bouncer requires more than just physical qualities such as strength and size; they need to be able to talk to people and remind them of the venue rules.