DarkArmani.net

Bouncers

After Wednesday night it does not appear that I will be going back to the club Vertigo on 126 State State Street, Boston, MA. Before I get into my story I want to discuss what bouncers are legally allowed to do: not much.

Unless a patron has committed a crime, floor men are not allowed to use physical force. This is not to say that you [floor men] cannot slightly touch a patron to guide, direct, or block entry. Force should only be used in self-defense or for the purpose of detaining a criminal for the police. Punching, kicking, tackling, dragging, or putting someone in a headlock are all inappropriate methods for floor men to remove someone from a nightclub. Unlike the movie "Road House" it is never appropriate for a floor man to punch a patron out of anger or because of a challenge to fight.

In his article Bouncers Need Training, Mr. McGoey goes onto say,

There's a common misconception that bouncers have authority to pick someone up and physically remove him or her from the premises. It is believed that bouncers can use pain compliance holds like full nelson's, chokeholds, wristlocks, and arm bars. This is not true. Simply stated bouncers cannot legally use force unless they are taking someone into custody or in self-defense. When force is used it must be reasonable. That means no tackling, no punching, no kicking, no choking, no head butts, and no pain compliance holds.

The authority of a bouncer or any other security person is the same as any ordinary citizen. Bouncers have no special authority to physically eject a customer who merely becomes intoxicated or verbally obnoxious. As an employee of the nightclub, bouncers can only demand that the undesirable customer leave. If the customer refuses to leave your only legal recourse is to call the police. Sometimes a warning that the police will be called has the same effect causing the customer to depart. The police can remove an unwanted patron and issue a formal trespass warning not to return. If the customer returns after receiving this formal warning they are subject to arrest.

The most compelling quote is the one having to deal with bouncers not having the "authority to pick someone up and physically remove him or her from the premises." I thought it might be true, but have never seen it obeyed in practice.

My story will deal with actions that happen outside the club on the public side walk and with employees of the club on company time.