SIA Search Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A door supervisor discovers a patron is carrying a legal prescription medication in an unlabelled container during a bag search. What should they do?
- Confiscate the medication as it cannot be verified and deny the patron entry
- Ask the patron to explain the medication, note the details, and allow entry if satisfied with the explanation (Correct answer)
- Refuse entry and advise the patron to return with the medication in its original labelled container
- Call the police immediately as unlabelled medication is automatically treated as a controlled substance
Correct answer: Ask the patron to explain the medication, note the details, and allow entry if satisfied with the explanation
Door supervisors should use professional judgement. If a patron states medication is prescribed, they should ask reasonable questions, note the details in the incident log, and make a proportionate decision. Automatic confiscation or police involvement is disproportionate. However, if there is genuine suspicion the substance is illegal, escalation may be appropriate.
Question 2: What does the term 'condition of entry' mean in the context of venue search policies?
- The venue is legally required by the council to search every patron before entry
- Patrons must agree to be searched as a requirement for gaining entry to the premises (Correct answer)
- The venue's insurance policy mandates that all patrons are searched upon arrival
- SIA regulations require all licensed venues to conduct entry searches
Correct answer: Patrons must agree to be searched as a requirement for gaining entry to the premises
A 'condition of entry' means that the venue sets out terms that patrons must agree to in order to gain access. When searching is a condition of entry, patrons consent to being searched by choosing to enter. This is a contractual arrangement between the venue and patron, not a legal power of search. If the patron refuses, they are simply denied entry.
Question 3: When conducting a search of a patron in a wheelchair, what is the most appropriate approach?
- Ask the patron to stand up so a proper search can be conducted
- Adapt the search technique to the patron's position, explain each step, and search any bags or compartments on the wheelchair (Correct answer)
- Exempt wheelchair users from searches as searching them could constitute disability discrimination
- Only use a metal detector wand and never conduct a physical search on a wheelchair user
Correct answer: Adapt the search technique to the patron's position, explain each step, and search any bags or compartments on the wheelchair
Door supervisors should make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 while still maintaining security. This means adapting the search technique, clearly explaining each step, and including any bags or storage compartments on the wheelchair. Wheelchair users should not be exempt from searches, but the approach must respect their dignity and needs.
Question 4: A group of three young men approach a venue and one is found to have a small amount of cannabis during a consent search. The other two are clean. What is the best course of action regarding the group?
- Refuse entry to all three as they are associated with the person carrying drugs
- Refuse entry to the individual found with cannabis, allow the other two to enter if they pass their searches (Correct answer)
- Refuse entry to all three and call the police to search the other two more thoroughly
- Allow all three to enter but confiscate the cannabis and issue a verbal warning
Correct answer: Refuse entry to the individual found with cannabis, allow the other two to enter if they pass their searches
The decision should be based on individual assessment. The person found with cannabis should be refused entry and the substance dealt with according to the venue's drug policy. The other two patrons, having been searched and found clean, should be judged on their own merits. Blanket refusal of an entire group without cause could lead to complaints of unfair treatment.
Question 5: What is an 'amnesty bin' and where should it be positioned at a venue?
- A recycling bin for drinks containers placed inside the venue near the bar
- A secure container placed before the search point where patrons can voluntarily dispose of prohibited items without penalty (Correct answer)
- A locked evidence box kept in the manager's office for storing confiscated items
- A first aid waste bin positioned at the entrance for disposing of medical sharps
Correct answer: A secure container placed before the search point where patrons can voluntarily dispose of prohibited items without penalty
An amnesty bin is a secure container placed before the main search point, allowing patrons to voluntarily dispose of prohibited items (drugs, weapons, etc.) without facing prosecution or confrontation. It must be clearly signposted and positioned where patrons can use it discreetly before reaching the search area. Its contents should be handled by police.
Question 6: A door supervisor suspects a patron has concealed an item internally (inside their body). What should the door supervisor do?
- Conduct a thorough intimate search in a private area with a witness present
- Take no further search action regarding the concealment but refuse entry and inform the police of the suspicion (Correct answer)
- Ask the patron to consent to an intimate search and proceed if they agree
- Detain the patron under citizen's arrest powers and wait for police to conduct the search
Correct answer: Take no further search action regarding the concealment but refuse entry and inform the police of the suspicion
Door supervisors must never conduct intimate searches under any circumstances. Only police officers or registered medical practitioners have the authority to conduct intimate searches, and only under the provisions of PACE. If internal concealment is suspected, the door supervisor should refuse entry to the venue and pass the information to the police.
SIA Search Procedures 4
A door supervisor discovers a patron is carrying a legal prescription medication in an unlabelled container during a bag search.
What should they do?