Officers from the Gloucester City Safer Community Team carried out an operation aimed at identifying illegal door staff working on the doors of pubs and clubs.
The operation, which is the first of its kind in the county, was conducted in partnership with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) on the evening of Friday July 11.
Officers worked through the night conducting checks on door staff at all the cityโs pubs and clubs.
Two illegal door staff were discovered as a result of the operation and they will now face prosecution.
Police Licensing Officer PC Guy Hall said: "The Police have a good working relationship with local door staff and their licensees who do not support the employment of illegal persons.
โSIA licensed door staff help raise the professionalism and skills within the private security industry which helps to promote and spread best practice.
โDoor staff are vital to keeping alcohol related crime and disorder under control in the city. Any door staff found to be working illegally will face prosecution and any person found employing illegal door staff will also face enforcement action. We will conduct further operations and together with our partners we will endeavour to remove all illegal door staff.โ
SIA Head of Investigation, Christy Hopkins said: โThese checks showed that the vast majority of door staff in Gloucesterโs city centre pubs and clubs were working legally with SIA licences. However, two doormen were working illegally and it is imperative that door staff and those deploying them do not flout the law. This operation sends a very clear message that, like us, our partners at Gloucestershire Police will not tolerate unlicensed door staff working in positions of trust and more operations like this will follow.โ
Licensed door staff can be easily identified as they are all required to display their SIA licence / badge. Police and the local Victuallers Association (LVA) support the use of high visibility armbands, which help to identify the door person and allow the clear displaying of their SIA badge. Members of the LVA can obtain these armbands by contacting their chairperson.
