Intoxicated Patron Scenario for Security Guards (Alberta)

In the beer garden you notice a person stumbling, speaking loudly with slurred words, and pushing past others in the drink line. A bartender catches your eye and shakes their head.

1. Watch for a moment to assess: signs of intoxication, any sign of a medical problem, who they are with and any risk to others. Radio your partner to come over.
   Why?

   Best practice. Good. Slurred speech and changes in behaviour can be signs of too much alcohol or drugs. First aid training also warns that a diabetic emergency can look like intoxication, so watch for signs the person is ill. Calling your partner early is safer.

2. Walk up and announce loudly that they are drunk and cut off.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. Do not ridicule or embarrass an intoxicated person. Guard training teaches you to keep your composure and act to prevent things from getting worse, and public embarrassment does the opposite.

3. Ignore it, because serving alcohol is the bar staff's job.
   Why?

   Acceptable. The bar staff decide on service, but safety in the beer garden is part of your job. Alberta's liquor law says a licensee must not permit activity that may be injurious to the health or safety of people in the premises.

A few minutes later, the person knocks a drink off a table and starts arguing with another patron. People nearby step back.

1. Radio your partner, move in calmly, separate the two people and ask the person to walk with you away from the crowd.
   Why?

   Best practice. Good recovery. Separating people early and taking one aside can stop a problem from growing. Have your partner with you.

2. Call police right away and watch from a distance.
   Why?

   Acceptable. Calling police is reasonable when things may turn violent. But stepping in calmly with your partner could settle it sooner.

3. Wait to see if the other patron sorts it out.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. Waiting lets a dispute turn into a fight. Your role is to protect people, so act early and get help.

Your partner arrives. The person smells of alcohol and is holding a half-full cup. A friend with them seems sober. When the bartender refuses to serve them, they start shouting at the bartender.

1. Step in calmly with your partner, give the person some space, and use short, clear sentences to ask them to come with you away from the bar.
   Why?

   Best practice. Correct. Speak calmly, give short and clear directions, and give the person time to respond. Moving them away from the bar removes the audience.

2. Argue with them about how much they have had to drink.
   Why?

   Acceptable. Arguing with an intoxicated person usually makes them more upset. Keep your composure and keep directions short and simple.

3. Grab the cup out of their hand.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. Grabbing items from someone's hand is likely to start a struggle, and touching someone without lawful authority can lead to charges. Use words first.

Away from the bar, the person says they paid to be here and will not leave. They raise their voice and step toward you, but they have not hit anyone. Their friend offers to take them home.

1. Tell the person clearly that, for the event and its licence holder, you are asking them to leave now, and accept the friend's offer to walk them out.
   Why?

   Best practice. Correct. Alberta's liquor law says no person may remain in licensed premises after the licensee or the licensee's employee or agent asks them to leave. Under the Trespass to Premises Act, an authorized representative of the owner can give notice not to trespass orally.

2. Push them toward the gate with both hands to hurry them up.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. The Criminal Code protects only as much force as is necessary, and anyone who uses too much force is criminally responsible for the excess. Pushing a person who is still talking is likely to start a fight.

3. Let them stay if they promise to calm down.
   Why?

   Acceptable. Giving a second chance can work, but a liquor licensee must not let a person who appears intoxicated drink in the licensed premises. Letting them stay keeps the risk in place.

The friend walks them to the gate. There, the person turns, throws their cup and swings a fist at your partner, missing. They are still shouting.

1. Step back to a safe distance with your partner, radio for police (call 911 because someone is in danger), keep others away, and use force only if needed to protect yourselves.
   Why?

   Best practice. Correct. Distance and police help are your best tools. The Criminal Code allows force to defend yourself or others only if it is reasonable in the circumstances.

2. Take them to the ground and hold them there until the festival ends.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. Anyone who is not a peace officer and arrests a person must deliver them to a peace officer forthwith. Under the Trespass to Premises Act, a trespasser held by an owner's representative must be delivered to a peace officer as soon as practicable. Holding someone for hours does not meet that duty.

3. Let them walk away with the friend and give police a description later.
   Why?

   Acceptable. Letting them go avoids a fight, which is reasonable. But someone was nearly hit, so police should be called right away while the person is nearby.

Police arrive a few minutes later. The person is sitting on the curb outside the gate with their friend.

1. Give police a clear account in order, point out witnesses, then write detailed notes and an incident report for your supervisor.
   Why?

   Best practice. Well done. Record events in your notebook as soon as time permits, and report as your employer requires. Your notes may support a later investigation.

2. Tell police what happened, but skip the report because police are handling it.
   Why?

   Acceptable. Speaking to police was right, but your employer and the client still need your written report, and police may ask for it later.

3. Write in your report that the person punched your partner, to make the report stronger.
   Why?

   Unsafe or not allowed. The swing missed. Alberta's code of conduct for security licensees requires honesty and truthful, accurate statements, and a breach can put your licence at risk.