Been assigned to work Security at a Sorority House

[Timsierramist]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I think the unique part of your job is that there are possibly going to be prank-type things, like fraternity men coming by to steal paddles or something, and you should know how you are going to respond to that stuff. I have seen pranks quickly become dangerous, but also, if a professional had been there to diffuse the situation, I'm not certain the police would have needed to be involved.

I caught wind of a prank or two that is played at the property I may be guarding. I actually don't want to repeat it here though. My concern would be the number of people who are coming over to attempt to prank. For example, a handful might be manageable, but if 10-15 guys take me into consideration and come over from all different directions, or even as a group, what is one person to do to stop them. Even if I was legally justified to use force to stop them or directed by the house director to do so, if they are determined enough to do something like dance around the yard drunk and in their underwear, they are going to do it. The only thing I probably could do in a situation like that is seek the assistance of law enforcement. Before we even approach that level though, I would certainly need to serve a trespass notice on the subjects first.

Maybe i'm giving them too much credit?

Beware of members propping open doors to the outside. Might not be a problem during colder months, but it certainly is a security risk.

True. I've wondered something else as well that I can see happening. I work for the house, but the house director would technically be the supervisor. A member might tell me to keep the door cracked, as an example, even though I can't do that and be doing my job at the same time. I can certainly seek guidance from the house director in this scenario, but she may not always be available. Last thing I want to do is get into a "cold war" with anyone and damage business relations like this. I sincerely hope the house i'm assigned to has responsible members who won't put me in a position like that where I have to enforce a house rule for safety they aren't willing to comply with.

[DubaiSis]

That sort of thing, leaving doors unlocked or propped open is going to be a problem and you will have to be the bad guy over that. 19 year old girls are pretty much 10 feet tall and bullet proof and explaining that leaving the door unlocked so they can slip in through the back door because it's quicker is going to be an unhappy discussion that you will never win and will always have to contend with.

[Timsierramist]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

That sort of thing, leaving doors unlocked or propped open is going to be a problem and you will have to be the bad guy over that. 19 year old girls are pretty much 10 feet tall and bullet proof and explaining that leaving the door unlocked so they can slip in through the back door because it's quicker is going to be an unhappy discussion that you will never win and will always have to contend with.

It's an excellent tip, and one I wouldn't not have thought of unless I posted here. I think the best way I will approach this scenario is to ensure I have a discussion with the House Director from the get go by bringing this topic up on day one. That way if I do get into a discussion over keeping the door secure, I can properly enforce that rule as an agent of the property. I won't be able to secure the door during the times i'm not there, but I have a feeling i'll be securing the doors several times a night in a back and forth "cold war", at least initially.

I'd be curious to know if, by working for the house and being an agent of the property owners, the House Director is my sole supervisor/client or if I need to report to every single member of the house.

I don't have the slightest problem working for every single member of the house, but you can see how that can be an issue if there isn't a standard set of guidelines or rules. I assume the House Director is the only person I would need to report to, minus security/safety requests from residents of the house?

[DubaiSis]

Think of it like an apartment building. You report only to the property manager but you need to keep all the tenants happy. The chapter president and house manager (both elected roles in the chapter) will want to have a say in what goes on but your ultimate responsibility is to the house director.