Tonight, Friday night, November 30, the Security Industry Authority’s (SIA) South East Partnerships and Interventions team and Sussex Police will be calling at Brighton student pubs and clubs. They will share best-practice guidance on safer physical intervention for door staff as a reminder of how to keep their customers and themselves safe.
The police and SIA staff aim to promote the importance of safer restraint and reduce any possible violence during the weeks before Christmas. The night also marks the launch of a campaign in Brighton to improve students’ safety during the Christmas party season. The SIA will share a poster and leaflets on ‘Safer Physical Intervention for Door Supervisors’ with three top student pubs. It features guidance and illustrations of best practice for safer restraint. This is intended as a quick reminder for door licence holders and relates to the training they received in physical intervention.
Kevin Young, the SIA’s Regional Investigations Manager, South Region, says that the initiative is a positive way to promote safer working practices at venues that are likely to encounter violence. “We want students and young people to have a great night out and go home this Christmas unharmed. It also ensures the safety of the licensed door supervisors who work at these venues, the majority of whom do a very good job in challenging circumstances.”
The initiative is supported by Sussex Police in Brighton; and the University of Brighton. The regulator seeks to persuade businesses and door supervisors in Brighton’s night time economy to report incidents to the police, so that the SIA can get an accurate picture of the violence against students and door supervisors. Incidents can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the SIA website.
Picture by Mark Rowe; street art, Brighton centre.
