Safety and risk management

This course discusses the best practices to follow in cases of armed robberies or hold-ups in the hospitality industry.

The most common crimes committed in hotels are burglary and theft.*According to Crime Scene Cleanup.


Hospitality-related establishments are prone to crimes like robbery and theft because of the large amounts of cash present in these businesses.


In this course, we’ll be discussing the best ways to mitigateArmed Robberies in the Hospitality Industry.


1A “one-off” physical act of violence that results in a fatal or a non-fatal injury with loss of goods or money


2 Some form of threat to ensure compliance and achieve financial gain


Victims may feel substantial emotional consequences without any physical injury.


Some assailants masquerade as customers to “check out” premises, while others spend little time in planning and initiate hold-ups when opportunities present.


Which of the following establishments may be susceptible to armed robberies and hold-ups?


Entertainment facilities Establishments where alcohol is served are at high risk for violence.


What are Armed Robberies and Hold-Ups?

It’s midnight and the front desk of the hotel is left unattended.


In the staff room, there’s only one front desk receptionist assigned for the night.


The majority of armed robberies are opportunistic crimes.


This means that the offender saw an opportunity and took advantage of the situation.


Scenarios such as the one described in the previous slide are great opportunities for a person to commit a robbery.


Mitigating these opportunities is key to preventing armed robberies from happening to your establishment.


You’re a receptionist at a hotel and you’re working late at night with another co-worker. You’re expecting a late check-in from multiple guests.


The hotel management employed multiple security measures to keep an eye on the hotel premises, which includes guards and active security cameras.


Which of the following patterns did the hotel management look out for in mitigating potential armed robberies?


Assessing Patterns of Armed Robbery and Hold-ups

Now that you’re aware of the common patterns in armed robberies, you’ll now be learning more about how to prevent it from occurring in your establishment.


In this lesson, we’ll be discussing how to best mitigate the potential for robberies.


Never schedule employees to work alone, regardless of the shift or the hotel’s occupancy. This practice is a huge liability to management and a threat to the lone employee and guests. Always have at least two employees per shift working in the hotel.


Keep only the minimum amount of cash on hand needed to conduct transactions.If a cashier takes in a large cash payment, immediately deposit the cash payment into the drop safe. Do not leave it in the cashier drawer.


Install visible security cameras that cover all areas of the hotel.This includes the front desk, lobby, all hotel entrances, the entrance to the indoor pool and fitness center, ATM, and the front exterior areas of the hotel and parking lot.


Install visible security cameras that cover all areas of the hotel. (cont.)These cameras should digitally record all transactions, encounters, and happenings to a location off premises that will store the files.


Install visible security cameras that cover all areas of the hotel. (cont.)These recordings prevent a perpetrator from seizing the hard drive when they flee the hotel and eliminating any visual record of the robbery.


Video monitors should be installed near the front desk and in the back office. Front desk clerks may need to perform tasks in the back office that can't be performed easily at the front desk (i.e., folding laundry, balancing cash drawers, miscellaneous paperwork, etc.). This will enable the clerk to monitor the front desk and lobby without always standing out front.


Video monitors should be installed near the front desk and in the back office. (cont.)In the event that an employee needs to seek refuge from a robbery or assailant in the back office, they can watch the camera and determine when the Police have arrived.


Which of the following areas should security cameras cover in a hotel?


Create a “safe room” near the front desk where a clerk can seek refuge from assailants or robbers.
It must be unlocked and easily accessible at all times but should be lockable from the inside.
The door should be sturdy enough to provide an adequate measure of protection against bullets or attempts to kick open the door.
A telephone or panic alarm must be located inside so help can be summoned.
The room should have moveable furniture that can be pushed in front of the door to further withstand any attempts at forced entry or bullets fired.
Train employees who seek refuge to always lie flat behind furniture in the event the perpetrator has a gun and might choose to fire into the door or walls.


Minimizing Potential for Robbery (cont.)


Hotel B recently experienced a robbery attempt in the middle of the night. Even though all hotel entrances had been locked, there was only one security personnel present in the main entrance.


When the two receptionists realized what was happening, they immediately went into their back office, locked themselves in the room, and reported the situation to the police via phone call.


The perpetrator’s attempt at robbing the hotel failed as soon as the police arrived.


Minimizing Potential Robberies and Hold-ups

Unfortunately, robbery or hold-up attempts are always possible despite our attempts at minimizing it from happening.


In the event that it occurs to you, there are ways you can survive the attempt and keep yourself safe.


In this course, we’ll be discussing tips to survive and keep safe from a robbery or hold-up attempt.


Never approach a person at the front desk if they make you feel uncomfortable or you suspect is a likely robber.If the person just doesn’t look right because of how they are dressed or behaving, trust your instincts and do not approach them.


Seek refuge or flee the hotel through a back entrance and call the Police.If the person intended no harm, they will not do anything. Remember, you can’t be killed or injured if you don’t walk into a robbery/potential robbery.


Assume that all robbers are armed and will use their weapon if provoked. Assume that all firearms are loaded. Take no chances.


Comply with every instruction of the robber. Do not fight or give them cause to become upset; otherwise, they will likely resort to violence to get what they want.


Comply with every instruction of the robber. (cont.)Repeat the instructions back to the robber before you perform the action. Move slowly and always keep your hands in view. Announce any actions you intend to take.


Comply with every instruction of the robber. (cont.)Remember that your life can’t be replaced! Always give them the money as it’s insured and can be replaced.


Oh no! Gabby is caught in the middle of a robbery attempt in the restaurant she works at. She works as the cashier.


Gabby did not panic throughout the situation and follows the instructions of the perpetrator.


She noticed that the offender was wearing a long sleeved black t-shirt. Gabby also took note of the tattoo the offender had on his hand and a mole on his nose.


Which of the following CODE A measures did Gabby follow?


Surviving a Robbery or Hold-up Attempt

If you’re a manager of any establishment, it’s part of your responsibility to ensure your staff’s safety and wellbeing in the workplace.


To properly account for incidences like robberies and hold-ups, managers should have comprehensive documentation on the risks involved to prevent it from happening in the future.


In this course, we’ll be discussing risk reduction procedures managers must employ in the workplace. This includes:Risk identificationRisk assessmentRisk control


Risk IdentificationIn the risk identification process, managers must take note of the following:


At-risk PremisesIf armed hold-ups and robberies have happened in the past, the frequency, severity, and characteristics of incidents need to be formally documented.


At-risk Premises (cont.)Proper documentation of violent incidents is important for an organization to learn from its experiences. This documentation needs to be reviewed at the highest level.


At-risk Premises (cont.)Examples of these identifiers include poor lighting, evening trading in a high-risk neighbourhood, or absence of drop safes. Larger outlets will have more detailed risk identification strategies.


At-risk PeopleArmed hold-ups and robberies have been committed by a variety of people under different circumstances.


At-risk People (cont.)While there are no reliable indicators of dangerousness, there are certain characteristics that indicate a capacity for violence. These include...


At-risk People (cont.)Young single men, low socio-economic status, high residential mobility, those with an existing mental illness, or those with an addiction may be higher risk.


At-risk People (cont.)Characteristics of potential offenders can also include:Those who “check out” prior to hold-ups (i.e they may browse for long periods and then purchase a cheap item).Potential offenders may drive their cars past the store slowly more than once. Various situations increase risks (i.e access to weapons, easy contact with victims, and use of substances).


Bar C experienced a robbery in the middle of the day.


The perpetrator pretended to be a paying customer at the bar before committing the crime.


The offender was armed with a handgun and targeted the two bartenders and their high-profile customers nearby. Luckily, no one was injured.


The risk control process involves the following steps:
Crafting guidelines that staff should follow in case robberies or hold-ups occur in their workplace.
Conducting training for staff in case robberies or hold-ups occur.
Evaluation on the existing risk control measures (if they significantly prevent armed robberies).
For a more comprehensive outline on each step, you may review the Australian Institute of Criminology’s handbook on preventing armed robbery.


Risk Control


If an establishment continues to experience armed robberies and hold-ups despite extensive training, what could be wrong with their risk control process?


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