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Home My WebLink AboutItem 04 Appointments to Citizen Advisory Council for Ocoee Fire Department AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET Meeting Date: August 16, 2005 Item # 4- Contact Name: Contact Number: Brenda Brasher 1026 Reviewed By: Department Director: City Manager: . dVisol'Y (;9UI"IPUfor '()c::t:>E!e:Fi'l'" Background Summary: On September 16, 2003, City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2003-20 establishing the CACOFD and adopting By-Laws for the board. The Resolution provides that CACOFD membership shall consist of no less than fifteen (15) members and no more than twenty-five (25) members, Members must be legal residents of the City or owners of real property or businesses in Ocoee. There are currently ten (10) members serving on the CACOFD and with Commission's approval currently the board is meeting with less than (15) members. Issue: Should the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners appoint Ryan Colbert and Warren Channell to the Citizen Advisory Council for Ocoee Fire Department (CACOFD)? Recommendations Two (2) applications were recently submitted for the Citizen Advisory Council for Ocoee Fire Department (CACOFD); therefore staff recommends the City Commission consider appointing Ryan Colbert and Warren Channell to the Citizen Advisory Council for Ocoee Fire Department with a term ending November 2008. Attachments: Board Applications (2) Board List Financial Impact: N/A Type of Item: (please mark with an "x') Public Hearing _ Ordinance First Reading Resolution ~ Commission Approval Discussion & Direction For Clerk's De/Jt Use: ~ Consent Agenda _ Public Hearing _ Regular Agenda _ Original Document/Contract Attached for Execution by City Clerk Original Document/Contract Held by Department for Execution Reviewed by City Attorney Reviewed by Finance Dept. Reviewed by ( ) x N/A x N/A N/A CITIZEN ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR OCOEE FIRE DEPARTMENT Created by Res. #2003-20 on 9116/2oo3-(Up to 25 members but no less than 15 members) Mpmhpr 1. Diana Carter 102 Lafayette Street 2. Celeste Erway 477 New Meadows Court 3. Charles Lawrie 313 Covered Bridge Drive 4. Mark Lippman 15 Heather Green Court 5. Sally Laubenthal 1404 Carriage Oak Court 6. Sally Miller 709 E. Lakeshore Drive 7. Glenn Richardson 774 Creek View Court 8. Mark A. Scalzo (Chnm) 6938 Crosscut Court 9. Wayne Vaughn 600 Cardinal Street 10. Sam Woodson 814 Chicago Avenue Ex-Officio Members Rusty Johnson, Commissioner Richard Firstner, Fire Chief Butch Stanley, Fire Marshall Removed Wayne Thompson Resigned Lee Ann Stanley Kelly Moy James Fleming Sr Jeffiey Gerber Ramon Alicea Updatedlbb/July 8, 2005 Dhltri"t Phon... NlImhpr 407/656-9529 2 407/656-6826 (H) 321/388-2445 (JI) 321/388-2445 (C) c.P.rW~y@c.f1 IT c.om 3 407/654-9626 (H) 3 407/654-1214 (H) 407/999-5150 (JI) l1rrm~nl~w@~t'I c.om 4 407/521-7281 (H) 407/242-9141 (C) sallylaubentha1@bellsouth.net 2 321/356-6208 (H) 321/356-6208 (C) npsallyann@yahoo.com 2 407/877-7472 (H) 407/836-9000 (JI) 407/298-1473 (H) 407/468-5373 (JI/C) m~(,.::I1?:o@m~~r~tr~n~ortMlon ('om 4 2 407/656-3857 (H) 407/656-2335 (JI) 2 407/656-3954 (H) !':T .WT@AOT COM 407/656-2034 (H) tjohn~on@c.l Oc.OP.P. f1 1I~ 407/905-3100 X 2000 407/905-3100 X 2002 h~t;mlty@~ ()('~ f111~ June 2005 January 2004 May 2005 June 2005 June 2005 July 2005 Tprm Endl November 2007 November 2008 November 2008 November 2008 November 2008 November 2008 November 2006 November 2006 November 2006 November 2006 1. 2. CITY OF OCOEE APPLICATION FOR SERVING ON CITY BOARDS (Please Print Legibly) Name: e~..u u,Lf&l'.ve::;.. E-mail Address: ~ ~ c.<"1 Home Address:~(,1D (:,a.A~\J\~. ~ Home Phone: . - c::> City, State, Zip: ~ \;:L o~1 c. , Business: Ol~-.A&). L )'J.lI.~tl& Business Address:~~\ (;. ,~ ~ \ ~H~ Brief Summary of Education and Experience: 3. 4. 5. Business Phone: ~f);-~17"~o5" I/?f)o, fL ~ I ~ ")'l..t&'C I 6. Are you a U.S. citizen? Yes V No Are you a registered voter? Yes V No Resident of the City for 6 months or longer? Do you hold public office? Are you employed by the City? Do you now serve on a City Board or Committee? PLEASE CHECK THE BOARDS WHICH INTEREST YOU: 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Pistrict # f Yes ./ No Yes- NOZ: Yes No L- Yes ~ No d' f' d h' #2 fi h' #1 d In 1cate our egree 0 mterest as 1rst c Olce- , secon c Olce- , etc. * General Employees' Retirement * Board of Adiustment Trust Fund Board of Trustees 1 Citizen Advisory Council A for Fire Department Human RelationslDiversity Board Citizen Advisory Council Parks and Recreation Advisory for Police Department Board * Code Enforcement Board .3 Personnel Board Community Merit Awards Review Board * Plan nine: & Zonine: Commission * Police Officers' and Firefighters' Construction Board of Retirement Trust Fund Board of Adiustment and Appeals Trustees **Education Commission 05 JUt 27' 9: 58 f * ** FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORMS ARE REQUIRED FOLLOWING APPOINTMENT What school does your child attend? (Only for Education Commission) 12. Why do you think you are qualified to serve on this board? 13. - r other information to assist Commission in makin SIGNA TURE DATE: Note: (1) pplication effective for ONE YEAR from date of completion. (2) If you have any questions, please calJ the City Clerk's office at (407) 905-3105. 0:BOARDLISTSlBdAppIJune2004.doc CITY OF OCOEE APPLICATION FOR SERVING ON CITY BOARDS (please Print Legibly) 1. 2. E-mail Address:WO-(re.tt\ct.-\A.~v\.rU~(jAh.Ob.t.cM-t Home Phone: 1.1,..~ ~ 3> 5Y. \ f tI)...- 3. 4. 5. 6. '/LCd' Yes Are you a registered voter? Yes Resident of the City for 6 months or longer? Do you hold public office? Are you employed by the City? Do you now serve on a City Board or Committee? PLEASE CHECK THE BOARDS WHICH INTEREST YOU: 85 RUG'; 8:5." f District # '-f Yes ----/...L" No Yes No t..--'" Yes No....=:::::..:. Yes No c...- 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Indi d f' fi t h . #1 d h' #2 cate our egree 0 mterest as rrs c Olce- , secon c Olce- , etc. " General Employees' Retirement " Board of Adjustment Trust Fund Board of Trustees ~ - Citizen Advisory Council for Fire Department Human RelationsJDiversitv Board Citizen Advisory Council Parks and Recreation Advisory for Police Department Board " Code Enforcement Board Personnel Board Community Merit Awards Review Board " Plannine & Zonine Commission " Police Officers' and Firefighters' Construction Board of Retirement Trust Fund Board of Adjustment and Appeals Trustees ""Education Commission * ** FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORMS ARE REQUIRED FOLLOWING APPOINTMENT What school does your child attend? (Only for Education Commission) 12. Why do you 1hink you are qualified to serve on this board? fc ' P~,f2M~l t"~ ~ ~'nI'\J ,W ~ &~41; , tJt 1"1- ' P ~ jy, .. .{, . ~ (- Ie~c<<e S L f t Co"t:M~/t;. r 13. other information to assist Commission in making appointments. DATE: g-f / OJ SIGNATURE Note: (1) Application effective for ONE YEAR from date of completion. (2) If you have any questions, please call the City Clerk's office at (407) 905-3105. O:BOARDllSTSlBdApplJunc2004.doc WARREN T. CHANNELL, CPP P.O. Box 675 Gotha, Florida 34734 (407) 467-9226 warrenchannell@Yahoo.com EXPERIENCE Grand Cypress Resort Safety and Security Manager: Orlando, Florida 71.92 to present Identification, development, implementation and management of safety and security strategies for a large luxury resort. Coordination of VIP/Dignitary Protection details. Implemented many successful safety programs resulting in substantial reduction in accidents and workers compensation costs. Wrote resort's Security Manual and Emergency Procedures Manual. Managed transition from contract security service to quality proprietary security force. The Popular Dry Goods Company, Inc. Director of Loss Prevention and Safety: EI Paso, Texas 1/87 to 7/92 Responsible for protecting assets of department store chain and distribution center. Primary duties included supervision and development of 27 member security team. Designed and implemented successful awareness training programs for 1000 employees. Supervised and conducted complex internal and external theft and fraud investigations. Design and installation of burglar and fire alarm, video and electronic article surveillance equipment. Lord & Taylor Security Officer/Investigator, New York, N.Y. 5/79 to 3/82 Security Manager, Stamford, Connecticut 3/82 to 6/83 Security Manager, Falls Church, Virginia 6/83 to 12/86 Extensive practice in internal investigations and loss control management. EDUCATION John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York A.S., Security Administration B.S., (cum laude) Police Science Florida A&M University College of Law Juris Doctor Candidate, Expected Graduation Spring 2007 CERTIFICATIONS Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified in Security Management First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor, American Red Cross PROFESSIONAL TRAINING EI Paso Community College: Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications National Guard Trained Crisis Responder Training State of Florida, Division of Safety: Ergonomics New Mexico Tech: Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings Florida Safety Council: Hurricane Preparation and Response, Indoor Air Quality Orange County Citizens Fire Academy, Class No. 7 National Crime Prevention Institute, University of Louisville: CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design). PROFESSIONAL AFFILlA liONS Florida Safety Council, Board Of Directors 1998-present. Served as Vice President, 2002; President 2003. American Society for Industrial Security, since 1979 Chairman, EI Paso/Juarez International Chapter, 1988 Secretary, Greater Orlando Chapter, 1993 Vice Chairman, Greater Orlando Chapter, 1994 Chairman, Greater Orlando Chapter, 1995 Chairman, International Standing Committee on Lodging Security, 1997 Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Central Florida Hotel/LOdging Association, Security Council Board Member 2002-04 International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection Mid-Florida Tech Security Officer Training Academy, Advisory Council Member ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS Orange County Bar Association labor and Employment Section American Bar Association Trial and Insurance Practice Section, Labor and Employment Section Federal Bar Association Association of Trial Lawyers of America Federalist Society, Founding President, Florida A&M Law School Chapter Christian Legal Society, Vice President 2004-2005, President 2005-2006 PROFESSIONAL WRITING Security Management Magazine April 1994, Book Review: MHotel Security" by Harry Smith . September 1994, Article: "Fun, Sun and Security" January 1996, Article: MElectronic Locks, Finding the Right Fit" Golf Business Magazine July 2005, Article: "Safety First: Emergency Access to Golf Courses" lvp) es &P- M!j 'Pv ~ (IS h,.. cJ- W t I:+'~ . - 19th Hole Safety Fi rst M a k e sure you and you r s t a ff k now the be s t ro ute s to b r in gem erg e n c y personnel on your course forthe safety of your customers. How would you as a golf course owner g'et paramedics to. rem ate sectians af yaur galf caurse in the case af any emergency? It may nat be easy, but a little preparatian can make far a mare efficient respanse. Do. Emergency Medical Services persannel respand to. yaur clubhause, then venture aut from there an galf carts? Even if yau have a golf cart capable af halding a stretcher ar backbaard, this may nat be the quickest or mast efficient way to. get there. If EMS persannel are respanding to. a chaking victim ar sudden cardiac arrest, secands caunt. Haw do. yau get them aut there quickly? Just think af haw yau wauld exit a building quickly in the event af a fire. Naw reverse that picture to. visualize haw yau wauld get into. an area quickly. What is the shartest path? What is the path af least resistance in terms af bunkers, bridges, waterways and ather abstacles. Yau prabably have areas af your galf caurse that are acces- sible to.' the street, such as service entrances and cart paths that intersect public raads. It might be easier to. direct emergency vehicles to. the emergency scene via these rautes. This can be dane if the persan calling 911 specifically directs them to. enter the praperty fram here. When calling EMS, have a map or chart that shows the easiest way to. get to a specific hole on the wall of the pro shop ar by the telephone, to get a quick- and more 52 GOLF BUSINESS J u ] y 200 5 by Warren T. Channell efficient respanse. The mare detailed the descriptian given to. the 9110peratars, the better the respanse. In additian to. advising l!MS of a shartcut, direct mem- bers of yaur staff to. this entrance to. flag dawn and direct arriving emergency vehicles to. the scene. If you have multi- ple service entrances, you may want to. numberlhem, and past numbers on the entrance fences. Far example, "please enter via gate on Main Street marked number 7." Golf courses are ranked fifth in sites where cardiac arrests occur, behind airports, jails, shopping malls and sports stadiums. It wauld be helpful if the firefighters and paramedics in yaur area were familiar with yaur galf course. Develop a good war king relatianship with yaur lacal emergency respan- ders. Invite them aut to play on a special day ar week recag- nizing tl).em. Check and see if yaur municipality ar local busi- ness groups have a recagnitian program in place. For exam- ple, The Natianal Fire Protectian Assaciatian (www.nfpa.arg) spansars Fire Pratectian Week each Octaber. These may be gaod times to. do. this. Yau can also affer a spe- cial discounted rate far emergency respanse persannel. When you call them, and they are familiar with your course layaut and your staff, yau will get a much better respanse. Take advantage of the training appartunities that yaur emergency respanse agencies pravide. Many affer (at little ar no. cast) training in first aid, CPR and fire exti~guisher use. Galf caurses are ranked fifth in sites where cardiac arrests .occur, behind airparts, jails,. shapping malls and sparts stadiums. Yau shauld always have staff members trained in CPR and first aid an duty. An Autamatic External Defibrillatar (AED) is nat a bad idea to have an yaur caurse as well. l' W<<rrell T. Ch<<IlTwll is the safety ,md seclIrit)' manager at Grand C)'press Resort ill Ol"ialldo, Fla.. which featllres 4J holes of golf. He can be reached m llI'lrrell.chall1/ell@gmndcypress.col/l. _ BY WARREN T. CHANNELL, CPP ELECTRON IcloCKS fiNDING THE RIGHT fiT - LECTRONIC LOCKS are becoming the standard form of guest room security at hotels. On the market for about ten years, these devices have a variety of fea- tures that can help today's security professional. But the variety can also be confusing. When shopping for an electronic lock system, the hotel security director should first determine what features are most needed by his or her establishment. Small hotels, for example, may need a system designed only to keep doors secure. A large resort, on the other hand, may want electronic card keys to double as credit cards that guests can use at the hotel's golf course, restaurant, and gift shop. THE ELECTRONIC LOCK SYSTEM IN- when a guest reports that property has cludes the locks themselves, key been stolen from his or her room. cards, a controller, and an interro- While some basic electronic locks gator. The locks cost between $200 may not have internal memory, most do. and $300 each while the cards run The question security managers should 10 to 15 cents a,piece. The system con- be asking is: how much? The most so- troller, the device used to program cards, phisticated locks can store between costs between $1,000 and $4,000. The 1,000 and 3,000 access card transactions, interrogator, which is used to download enough to last several months. Smaller information from the lock, is sometimes systems may be capable of only fifty to included in the price of the controller 100 entries, which can be used up in one and sometimes sold separately. to two weeks. Once the lock's memory The price differences are partially is f1l1ed, it begins recording over the old- based on the system's capabilities and est transaction, erasing any evi- features. The following is a sample of the dence a security manager may many features that should be considered. need later in the event of a criminal Lock interrogation. One of the most ba- investigation. sic features of an electronic lock-and Master keying. Housekeepers and the one most likely to be mentioned by other hotel employees, who fre- sales personnel':"'-is the system's ability quently need to access several dif- to be interrogat~d. Electronic locks are ferent rooms, often carry master equipped with a card scanner and an in- keys. Electronic locks offer a much ternal computer memory that keeps a wider variety of key combinations than record of every card key used to access metal locks, with some systems capable a room. A security officer can learn who of making fifteen levels of master keys. entered the room and when by down- Security professionals should determine loading the lock's memory into a small how many levels their hotel requires and computer, known as the interrogator. have the system they purchase pro- This feature helps during a criminal in- grammed to meet those needs. vestigation by allowing a security officer Typically, a hotel chain would require to narrow the list of potential suspects five key levels, including guest key, sec- tion masters, floor masters, grand mas- ters, and an emergency key that can over- ride even a lock's mechanical deadbolt. Larger hotels may get more complex, relying on subsection masters. For ex- ample, a hotel may have fifty rooms on each floor, which is divided into sections. A laundry room attendant may get a section master that opens twenty doors, while two housekeepers each get a dif- ferent subsection master that opens only ten doors on that same floor. . Card techQology. Almost all of the ma- jor electronic lock systems use standard magnetic stripe cards. Some cards open doors after being swiped through the lock's reader, while others require that the card be inserted into a slot. The standard magnetic stripe card is divided into three data tracks, giving ho- tels the flexibility to program cards with an array of information. For example, the coding for the card's unlocking func- tion may be programmed on one track while other information about the guest may be contained on the other tracks. When purchasing electronic locks, the security manager should determine whether blank cards can be easily pur- chased from the system's manufacturer as needed. This feature will help the hotel in the future when it inevitably needs to order more card keys. -. Some cards come with the manufac- turer's logo on them, while others can have the name of the hotel. It's not ad- visable to have the hotel's name on the card key; this leaves the hotel vulnera- ble should the card be lost or stolen and not immediately reported as missing. Timed checkout. Another feature of today's electronic lock is its ability to program card keys to expire after a , , ! ,. :;:.~ I h. i" iJ ; ~! j.< " 'I i' !l :~ "\ certain period of time. For example, if a guest has reserved a room until W ed~ nesday at 12:01 p.m., his or her card can be programmed to deactivate at 12:02 p.m. In addition, housekeepers can be issued master keys that only work during their shifts. Security managers should be aware that some older electronic lock'technol- I~ SECURITY MANAGEMENT 61 P rote ct your meetings against the electronic spy Audiotellnternational have for 20 years been supplying governments in over 80 countries with RF detection, non linear junction detectors and cable checking equipment. For a free advice booklet and details of new developments that every TSCM professional should know about: ...... Call .. 1-800- 778-SCAN ~~~~<;?,';Nt;!.: -/..1.,-..,it;e.q(- Circle 30 on reader service card INTRODUCING THE BESTGUARD"PLAN "LOWER RATES FOR LOWER RISK SECURITY AGENCIES" Bruce Brownyard has formed a new company, Brownyard Programs, Ltd., and developed a new program, THE BESTGuARD*PLAN, which focuses on insuring only the very best security guard agencies. For too long, the best companies have been paying for the worst compa- nies' mistakes. Now, through selective underwriting, THE BESTGUARD*PLAN offers lower General Liability rates to the quality security agencies who deserve them. For further information: BRUCE W. BROWNYARD, BROWNYARD PROGRAMS, LTD. 260 WEST MAIN STREET BAY SHORE, NEW YORK Il700 (516) 665-7300 OR (800) 665-7304 - PAX: 516-665-8295 BROWNYARD PROGRAMS LTD Circle 43 on reader service card 62 JANUARY 1996 ogy operates under sequential time and does not have a self-expiring card fea- ture. With sequential time systems, a card is programmed for a specific lock and continues to open that lock until it is manually deactivated. This is done when a new card is progr!UlllJled and inserted into the lock. The lock then accepts the new card and rejects the old one. Encryption. Some electronic locks en- crypt the room number and other infor- mation contained on the card key. This process is ?one by the system's con- troller, the device used by employees to program the cards. Not all controllers have the capability to encrypt data. Without encryption, the card's data can be read by card readers available in electronic retail stores. Security man- agers should strongly consider buying a system with encryption capabilities or their hotel could be left vulnerable. Integration. Electronic locks are capa- ble of integrating with the boteI' s other computerized services, thus allowing guests to use their card keys to purchase items from the hotel's gift shop or to charge a meal at the hotel restaurant. For example, when the key card is swiped through a reader at the hotel's gift store, the purchase is automatically recorded at the front desk computer and placed on the guest's room bill. When purchasing an electronic lock system, a security manager should con- sult with the company's computer staff to ensure that it is compatible with the property management system used to run the hotel's other computer functions. Online or standalone? When purchas- ing electronic locks, the security man- ager will also have to decide whether to buy a centralized online system or stan- dalone locks that act as individual units. Standalone. Many hotels opt for stan- dalone locks, which are far less expen- sive. These units are battery operated and run as independent card readers. Each lock has its own scanner, memory, and time clock. Standalone systems are effective locks, but they require more time to maintain. For example, when changing the inter- nal clock during daylight-savings time, a hotel staff person must go to each in- dividuallock in the building and man- ually make the adjustments using a small computer. In addition, when valid card keys 'are lost, a staff person must visit each guest room and insert a newly programmed card into the lock to deac- tivate the missing key. Online system. Online systems allow employees to perform many more functions from a central location. With these systems, all locks are wired to a central controller, or database, usually at the front desk. These systems are far more expensive because they require hotel wide wiring. Lost cards can be deactivated and locks can be interrogated directly from the central computer without having to visit each individual lock. This is especially helpful in large hotels with hundreds of rooms. An online system can also assist management in measuring a worker's productivity. To see how many rooms a housekeeper has cleaned, for example, a manager could type the employee's card number into the computer. The records show the rooms he or she has entered in a given time period. Additionally, an online system may have alarms built into the lock to send a signal to the front desk if the door is forced open. Programs are also available that allow the online system to notify the front desk if a door is left open for more than thirty seconds or a minute. Outdoor applications. Security mana- gers should examine the finish on locks that will be used outdoors. Brush chrome and stainless steel are much better for outdoor applications. Brass and bronze finishes are nicer looking, but won't hold up as well in hot, humid weather or cold, snowy conditions. These fmishes are more suitable for indoor applications. Batteries. The location and accessibility of the batteries also varies. Some locks have small panels that can be popped open for easy battery replacement. Oth- ers, however, may require hotel person- nel to use a screwdriver or key to remove panels, wasting precious staff time. What's on the horizon for electronic locks? It won't be long before cards will be Jlsed to access in-room movies, in- room bars, and hotel vending machines. Some hotel chains are installing auto- mated check-in machines. Guests sim- ply insert their credit card to register for a room and either receive a card key or have their credit card programmed to open the guest room door. Electronic locks are gaining in pop- ularity as hotel chains around the coun- try see their versatility. In purchasing a system, though, security managers must understand their company's needs and buy the features that best serve their objectives. . Warren T. Channell, CPP, is chairman of the Greater Orlando Chapter of ASIS and a member of the ASIS Standing Committee on Lodging Security. .....;.:....:.:~ _...;..~~~...,-"""';"""'~"""'-'"'-""':'-":----'"'"-;:"-""""'~,~~~c..-i-:",,,,",",,-;;;;.',<.;;.: ..-. - . . _, :.,~~.. ~~,~- HOTEL SECURITY FUN, SUN, & SECURITY B Y '.C p p RLANDO, FLORIDA, IS TIlE number one tourist desti- nation ill thy United States, with 75,000 hotel rooms and ~ore r.~nta1 ,cars than any other metropolitan - ,,'. . . " ~~a. It's,' ~()pen.' hospitable environment with at- -. . , ".'" tractions, such'"as Walt.Disridy\Vorld, Sea World, and Universal S~~6~'J'19qd~, a~~,w'~a,'C~~,'!~g~"Conve~ti~~; facilities that attract < '".': "_:':- ,:,' !'~';':':/:::~;;-~''':.'\;;: , . :", :;;;;,." ". ,: ~:\: .'/~;'/,~'_:_;'" :-,~_, i;::::'.!:.,,::\.:i(/:;::::':'.:','_' '.. . nim"~:JhaIl! ~.p:1illi(>l?,:,!Y,i~~!9r$' pe,~ year from all 9ver the world. ~ .,' ..:/_~;~'" J' ,_:,.--,., .. '__i\'-;':<' '.. ;~, .;:",~ t:; ;,-,',:':',.'"",'~':"\i;:;?' '(of/ ~,.,~''':I;; >- The state of HoridCihasreCeiveda lot of media attention in the past couple ofye~s;du~"t()~~e~;~~ilitst tourists. While most of these cillneshave occurred in ,south Rorida, it has had a negative impact on the entire state. According to the Florida Department of . Law Enforcement (FDLE) Unified Crime Report, of the 13.2 . . - , " . - n million visitors per year, only 4,761 crimes were perpe- trated against tourists in 1992. But perceptions are im- portant, and the perception and reality must be that of a secure enviroiunent. ~ The types of crimes that can be perpetrated against a hotel guest range from burglary of hotel rooms; pickpocketing, and distraction thefts to auto theft and assaults. What can be done to provide protection in this environment? The key is a strong working relationship b~- tween law enforcement and hotel security professionals, with one common goal: protecting the guest. The establishment must first have a solid 'security program with appropriate physical security in place, including locks, safes, and parking controls. 52 SEPTEMBER 1994 Illustration by Eric Westbrook ...:... ._.~..:",.,':"'1~"";;.~'.':~.~. i:'~f'""'cr~~'~~",~'~~"_' Locks. Many Orlando area hotels, in- those perpetrated by hotel employees. tourist destinations around the country, onl) cluding budget motels, are equipped Effective preemployment screening sharing information on crime trends tran with state-of-the-art electronic locking minimizes this threat. FDLE and local and intelligence on criminal groups ad( systems. These locks use cards that can sheriffs' offices have done much to fa- that may prey specifically on hotels inal be programmed to expire at check-out cilitate preemployment criminal record and their guests. The Orlando and Or- pan time. If a key is lost, the lock can easily checks of hospitality industry job ap- ange County unit, one of the first of its vide be electronically re-keyed by inserting a plicants. FDLE can process criminal kind in the nation, plays a vital role in ing new key, invalidating any previous keys. histories for employers via diskette, keeping the resort areas safe. It spon- autb This feature helps thwart hotel burglars saving data entry time and resulting in sors seminars for employees of tourism- ~ who travel with key-making equipment. quicker turnaround time than conven- related businesses. These classes cover witt Many of these locks can also be checked tional written requests. Local law en- specific crime prevention topics such as mer to detennine who was in the room and at forcement agencies can process local pickpocketing, distraction thefts, auto CFI what time...The audit trail facilitates record checks via fax, with same day theft, and shoplifting. forc room theft investigations and serves as a service for as little as $2. Law enforce- The Metropolitan Bureau of Investi- assc deterrent to employee theft. ment agencies strongly encourage ho- gation CMBJ), another multiagency unit, Safe Many hotel and motel burglars at- tels and attractions to screen all appli- focuses on vice crimes in central Florida. land tempt entry through sliding glass win- cants and often support this procedure Comprised of officers from several cen- curi dows and with round-the-clock staffing of their tral Florida police and sheriffs' depart- insu records offices. ments, it works closely with other agen- men A crime~alert fax system Until recently, all Florida rental cars cies and hotels to combat prostitution and nel, bore license plates that began with a other vice crimes. Hotel security officers em{: immediately communicates Y or Z, readily identifying the oc- often report suspected vice activity to this tend cup ants as tourists. After several agency for further investigation. that suspected criminal activity to criminals admitted to preying on Another group dedicated to protect- an a people driving these vehicles, car ing Orlando's hotel guests is the OPD's T hotels, parks, and agencies. rental companies effectively lobbied Civil Bike Patrol, which is made up of ly Sl to eliminate the use of the specialized concerned citizens-including hotel ploy plates. The rental car agency stickers and attraction employees-who patrol his c doors on were also removed from these vehicles. the tourist corridors. Equipment for ofa balconies and patios. Most Orlando area Interagency cooperation. A tourist polic- this group is provided by donations and inal. hotels with ~uch openings have installed ing unit, comprised of officers from the public law enforcement. The OPD also also additional locking devices to thwart this Orlando Police Department (OPD) and operates a Citizens Police Academy, writ! type of entry. Such locks go through the the Orange County Sheriff's Depart- giving many hotel and attraction man- T frame in the middle of the doors or on ment, has grown to more than forty of- agers a firsthand look at how OPD soci. each end of the door frame. They also ficers dedicated to preventing crime in combats crime in the Orlando area. secu screw on the tracks of the frame so that the tourist corridor. Several surround- Both groups have operated for appro x- man the door cannot be lifted off. ing jurisdictions have also dedicated imately two years at no cost to partici- tutec Protecting valuables. Room safes with resources to combating crime against pating hotels. advc electronic locks are commonly found tourists. Officers assigned to these units At the center of efforts to secure this fessi in Orlando hotels in every price range. conduct investigations and surveil- tourist mecca is the Central Florida Ho- as a Orlando hotel guests, many carrying lances in suspected room thefts. They tel/Motel Security Association (CFH- ety I large quantities of cash and jewelry, ap- also patrol hotel and resort areas in MSA). This organization, formed more lodg preciate this feature, which is often marked and unmarked cars, on foot, on than twelve years ago, is comprised of q)J.iri provided at no charge. bicycles, and on horses. hotel security directors, representatives new Parking security. Many hotels and re- Many of the officers have conducted of many tourist-oriented businesses, and gues sorts in this tourist mecca will screen cross-training with the Orange County every area law enforcement agency. an 0 vehicles at the entrance of parking lots Fire Rescue Department's Life Safety Participants meet monthly to share in- ber, to prevent auto burglars and other Education Bureau. They take a three- telligence and stay a step ahead of the G criminals from prowling their property. day course that includes fire behavior criminals who prey on their guests. beh~ to commit crimes. The officers posted and evacuation techniques. These offi- The association has implemented a sect: at these areas require all incoming cers are often the first on the scene of a crime-alert fax system that immedi- area drivers to show their room key prior' hotel fire because they patrol the prop- ately communicates information on long to entering the lot. The officer can be' erty. With the proper training, they can suspected criminal activity to all the plo) supplied with a printout of the hotel begin evacuation procedures immedi- hotels, theme parks, and law enforce- gue~ guests. The officer may also call the ately, if necessary. This department of ment agencies in the area. The system tionc reservation desk to verify any suspi- the Orange County Fire Rescue Depart- has been effective, yielding numerous this cious drivers, This has been successful ment also has officers assigned to the arrests when alert hotel employees re- crim in preventing theft and violence in hotels in Orange County, doing inspec- sponded to information received via lobb parking lots. Hotel guests like this fea- tions and training in fire prevention and the fax alert system. awaJ ture, feeling it adds to the exclusivity evacuation. They are always ready to Auto burglaries, in particular, have M of the hotel. assist area hotels with whatever con- decreased with the advent of this pro- with Employee screening. As in any other cerns they may have. gram. One example of how the fax alerts ciati industry, hotels must protect them- The tourist policing unit networks have helped concerned a rash of break- Som selves against crimes from within- regularly with similar units from other ins to Ford Arrowstar minivans. While logo 54 SEPTEMBER 1994 try, only a vague description of the vehicle light additional safety features that the lds transporting the culprits was available, hotel provides. The tips suggest that lpS a clear description of the suspected crim- travelers be more aware of their envi- ._ 1., inals was faxed to all network partici- rons in general, avoid displaying large pants. The culprits were spotted and amounts of cash or expensive jewelry, . llS videotaped driving in Sea World's park- and use the main entrance of the hotel ~ in ing lot. Sea World security. alerted the when returning late at night. on- authorities and an arrest was made. Local intelligence networks. Within the ,m- Member hotels can also be provided greater Orlando area, there are several ,vel' with crime statistics for their area by smaller intelligence networks for spe- has member law enforcement agencies. The cific geographic areas, such as the 01'- .uto CFHMSA, along with area law en- ange Blossom Trail area and the Lake forcement agencies and tourism-related Buena Vista area, which includes all of ~sti- associations, conducted the Tourism the Disney area hotels. Hotel security mit, Safety and Security Conference in 01'- directors and law enforcement officers ida. lando in December 1993. Lodging se- from these areas meet bi-weekly to ex- :en- curity professionals, general managers, change regional crime information. lart- insurance professionals, law enforce- Some have formed radio networks in ~en- ment officials, tourist policing person- their immediate area where security of- and nel, academics, and convention center ficers can communicate with each other cers employees from around the country at- and law enforcement immediately in this tended. The response was so favorable the event of a problem. that the conference will be offered on The Orlando/Orange County Con- ect- an annual basis. vention and Visitors Bureau has also 'D's The CFHMSA also presents a month- created a link between the hospitality p of ly security awareness award to an em- industry and the emergency manage- otel ployee of an area hotel or attraction for ment community for coordinated re- ltrol his or her contribution to the prevention . sponse in the event of a hurricane or for of a crime or the apprehension of a crim- other disaster. Each member hotel has and ina!. Along with a plaque, the employee a designated emergency response co- also also receives a monetary reward under- ordinator and an alternate who stands written by a member theme park. ready to exchange information with r. The national HotellMotel Security AB- the bureau to assist in providing shel- )PD sociation recently adopted recommended tel' for evacuees from coastal areas. rn- Lrea. security and safety standards. While formation such as the availability of rox- many area properties have already insti- rooms is faxed immediately to the bu- tici- tuted most of the procedures and systems reau. Evacuees can th'en be directed to advocated, it is helpful for security pro- shelter quickly, minimizing confusion this fessionals to have an industry benchmark and road congestion. Ho- as a guide. The standards include a vari- The convention and visitor's bureau :FH- ety of recommendations for increased has recently introduced Tourist Employ- nore lodging and guest security, such as re- ees Against Crime (TEAC), a program :d of quiring criminal background checks on developed to educate all tourist industry tives new employee applicants and providing employees in crime prevention. Posters ,and guests with twenty-four-hour access to and payroll stuffers are used to inform ncy. an on-premise guest contact staff mem- employees about the different types of ~ in- bel', as well as the PBX operator. crimes that can occur on their property f the Getting the word out about criminal and what they can do to prevent it. behavior means reaching beyond the With this type of multifaceted ap- ed a security community. Several of the proach to hotel security in place on a edi- area's health-care providers also be- day-to-day basis, Orlando area hotels 1 on long to CFHMSA becaus.e their em- are well prepared for VIP visits, major the ployees go to hotel rooms to treat events such as the World Cup Soccer .rce- guests. One such health-care practi- games, and the many major golf tour- ;tern tioner using information gained from naments hosted in Orlando year-round. rous this relationship recently spotted a Orlando's network of security and law s re- criminal when going through a hotel's enforcement professionals plays a vital . via lobby, reported it, and was given the role in ma~ing the area the world's awareness reward that month. number one vacation destination. . 1 Many area hotels also furnish guests Pl~ with the American HotellMotel Asso- Warren T. Channell, CPP, is safety and lerts ciation's flyer, "Guest Safety Tips." security manager of the Grand Cypress eak- Some are customized with the hotel Resort in Orlando, Florida. He is a lhile logo or trademark, or they may high- member of AS/S. Fiber optic sen,sor systems' turn boundaries . " ~ .. . '" lnto secure ". ,':, '. perImeters.: .. . Fiber optic senSor systems frQm . 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