SIA Search Procedures

Question 1

What is the legal basis for a door supervisor conducting a search of a patron at a licensed venue?

Accepted Answer

The patron gives implied consent by entering a venue with a published search policy

Answer

Door supervisors have no legal power to search anyone. Searches are conducted based on consent, which is implied when a patron chooses to enter a venue that clearly displays a search policy as a condition of entry. If consent is refused, the patron can simply be denied entry.

Question 2

A female patron is waiting to enter a nightclub that operates a search policy. There are no female door supervisors on duty. What is the correct course of action?

Accepted Answer

Ask the female patron to empty her own pockets and open her bag for visual inspection only

Answer

Pat-down searches must be conducted by someone of the same gender. When no same-gender door supervisor is available, the best practice is to ask the patron to empty their own pockets and open bags for a visual inspection. This respects their dignity while still maintaining security.

Question 3

Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which of the following items is it an offence to carry in a public place without good reason or lawful authority?

Accepted Answer

A lock knife with a 4-inch blade carried in a jacket pocket

Answer

Under Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, it is an offence to carry a bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place without good reason or lawful authority. A lock knife of any blade length is covered. Folding pocket knives with blades of 3 inches or less are exempt, and everyday items like butter knives or plastic cutlery carried with good reason are unlikely to constitute an offence.

Question 4

During a bag search at a venue entrance, a door supervisor discovers a small quantity of what appears to be an illegal substance. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Deny the patron entry, retain the substance with a written record, and contact the police

Answer

The correct procedure is to deny entry, retain the suspected substance (to avoid it being disposed of or passed to someone else), record the details including time, description, and circumstances, and contact the police. Returning drugs would be irresponsible, and physical detention should only be used if a citizen's arrest is justified for an indictable offence.

Question 5

What is the primary purpose of displaying a visible search policy notice at a venue entrance?

Accepted Answer

It establishes that patrons give implied consent to be searched as a condition of entry

Answer

A visible search policy notice informs patrons before they enter that searching is a condition of entry. By choosing to proceed, they give implied consent. This is essential because door supervisors have no legal power to search — they rely entirely on consent. The notice is not a statutory requirement under the Licensing Act but is best practice for establishing consent.

SIA Door Supervisor Practice Test

SIA Door Supervisor Practice Test

SIA Search Procedures