Watch Hamza demonstrate the Door Supervisor searching assessment, then follow the animated walkthrough of all five parts, the bag, the jacket, the self search, the metal detector and the pat down, plus the entry decision and the radio call.
Read this first
Pay close attention to each step. You will be required to complete, and be recorded performing, this exact scenario assessment during your course. Mistakes during this assessment can lead to a fail.
Hamza explains and demonstrates how to complete the Searching practical assessment · on YouTube
Below the video there is a whole breakdown for you to read.
The five parts, animated
Manager · radio
Before you start
Explain the search policy
Explain the venue search policy to the customer.
The search, step by step
The same search, told as it happens on the night. Swipe each card left when you have read it, like a dating app. Swipe right to bring the last one back.
Saturday night, and the queue is moving
You are on the door of a busy club. The next customer steps up, and before anyone touches anything you set the scene: this is the venue's search policy, the CCTV above you is recording, and your colleague is standing right there as a witness. Then you ask the only question that lets the search begin.
"Do I have your permission to search you?"
Nothing is touched until they say yes. Say what you are doing all the way through: the assessor is listening as well as watching.
Everything on the table
They agree. You point to the table: bag on it, jacket on it, pockets emptied onto it. Phone, keys, wallet, all in plain sight. Then one more question, asked calmly, because it gives them a last chance to hand something over before you find it.
"Do you have anything illegal or dangerous on you that you shouldn't have?"
The bag
You never put your hands in someone's bag. They pick it up, open it and move the contents around for you while you look inside with your torch. Nothing hidden, nothing to see: the bag goes back on the table.
"Open your bag for me, please."
Torch only. The moment your hand goes in, it is a fail.
Scan the jacket
They pick the jacket up and hold it out at arm's length. You run the metal detector over it, slowly, every panel and every pocket. Halfway down the inside pocket it goes off. You ask them to take the item out and place it on the table. A work knife.
"Hold your jacket up for me. Take that out and put it on the table, please."
Detector first, hands later. You never reach into the jacket yourself.
Deal with the knife
It is a work knife, and it is legal to own. That is not the point. Our company policy does not allow any sharp items inside the venue, so you cannot let them in with it, however reasonable the explanation. You say so plainly, without making it an argument, and you give the two options: leave now with the knife and the rest of their things, or leave it with you, stored safely, and collect it on the way out. They leave it with you, and the search carries on.
"It's company policy: no sharp items inside, so I can't let you in with it. You can leave with it, or leave it with me and I'll store it safely until you finish."
Deal with it there and then, before the search moves on. The knife stays on the table, never in your hand.
Pat down the jacket
With the knife dealt with, back to the jacket. They hold it out again and you pat it down by hand, all over: the collar, the seams, the lining, every pocket inside and out. Nothing else. The jacket goes back on the table.
"Now the pat down. Hold it up for me again."
The self search
Now it is on the person, and the first part is theirs to do. You talk them through it: show me the heels of your shoes, pull your pockets inside out, run your fingers around your waistline, show me your collar, roll up your sleeves, roll up your trouser bottoms. You watch every step and you say what you are looking at.
Arms out. You scan the upper body from the front. Then you ask them to turn around, and once their back is to you, you scan the lower body from behind. You never go down on one knee in front of someone: it puts your head level with their hands and leaves you nowhere to go.
"Arms out, please. Now turn around for me."
Lower body from behind only. Never kneel in front.
The body pat down
Back of the hand only, from here on. Upper body first, facing you. Then they turn again and you work down the outside of each leg all the way to the foot, then in and out below the knee only. Never the thighs, never anywhere private. And there, at the end, in the side pocket, you feel it: a small bag of white powder. Cocaine. Class A.
"Put that on the table for me."
Back of the hand only. Outside of the leg to the foot, in and out below the knee, nothing else.
"I am seizing this."
The words matter, so say them: you are seizing, confiscating, this item. Then the two options, calmly, as if you are being helpful. Option one: wait here, we call the police and they will come and arrest you. Option two: leave now with your other belongings. Either way the drugs stay on the table, because they are seized. Almost everyone takes option two and walks. Entry refused.
"I am seizing this. You can wait here for the police, or leave now with your other belongings."
"Seizing" or "confiscating" must be said out loud. The assessor is listening for it.
Calling it in
The customer has gone. Now the call. Press to talk: "Manager, receiving?" Wait for "Receiving." Then who you are, spelled out in the phonetic alphabet, and where you are: "Hotel, Alpha, Mike, Zulu, Alpha. Fire Exit 2." What happened: seized Class A drugs, please bring the correct disposal bag. The manager arrives, you hand the drugs over, they confirm it has been disposed of, and you close the call.
"Thank you. Over."
Learn the phonetic alphabet before the course. Our phonetic tool spells your name for you.
The words that must be said
"Do I have your permission to search you?"
"CCTV is recording and my colleague is a witness."
"Do you have anything illegal or dangerous on you?"
"Company policy: no sharp items. I can store it for you." Then the two options.
"I am seizing / confiscating this." Then the two options.
"Manager, receiving?" then your name in phonetics and your location.
"Thank you. Over."
You've been through the whole night
Watch the video once more, run the animation again, and come to the course ready to say every line out loud.
A note from Hamza
Don't stress if any of this feels like a lot. On the day I walk the whole scenario through with you in class, as many times as you need, and I answer every question. The reason I ask you to watch the video and read these cards first is simple: this unit has to be done in one day for the whole class, and the better prepared you arrive, the more time we have to practise, and the surer I can be that nobody fails this section.
