Before someone freaks out at that title – our “security” team has been changed to “rovers.” Different name, same people, same job. Rovers are also now in charge of information because we don’t have anyone dedicated to that and it seemed easy enough to give them a map and a schedule and call it good. We will also attempt to have a ‘roving info desk.’ We’ll see how that goes.

Anyway, we have had a lot of trouble with the term “security” since we started. We get a lot of people telling us that their qualifications are that they were prior military, took martial arts, and have experience as club bouncers. That’s all well and good, but NONE of that qualifies you for our security staff.

The job of the rovers is to watch the entrances for badges and make sure everyone who enters has a badge. If they don’t have a badge, the rover is to KINDLY direct that person to registration. They also help parents find “lost” kids. They keep an eye on people and safety. If someone is running without shoes, they are to ask that person politely to please stop running and remind them of our shoe policy.

Every security member is worried about fights. If a fight happens, it is the responsibility of all staff members to clear out as many attendees away as possible, notify upper staff and GSR Security, and keep themselves safe. All staff. No staff member is allowed to touch an attendee. There are no exceptions. Do not stop a fight: let GSR security stop a fight. Telling both members to calm down before a fight begins is acceptable. Telling people that if a fight happens we will pull their badge is acceptable. Touching an attendee to stop a fight is not acceptable.

So . . . all those “qualifications” are useful for everyone to keep themselves safe, but mean precisely squat when it comes to qualifying for any staff position, security, rovers, or otherwise. Really – martial arts is a wonderful personal enhancer, the military teaches discipline and chain of command, and being a bouncer means you learn how to watch and read people. All of these are very useful things in life.

I always feel that when someone says that their qualification is that they “know how to restrain someone” or something similar, it actually DISqualifies them from security. I’m hoping that the rover name will discourage applications like that.

All that being said, the otaku crowd is really mellow compared to other crowds; we’re hyper, but relatively harmless. Although there is always the problem-child, this crowd is an awkward bunch of children and children-at-heart who are here to have fun and be accepted for who they are and what they love. We tend to follow rules and instructions because the worst thing in the world would be having our badge pulled and not being able to continue the convention.

It is the job of all staff members to keep themselves and the attendees safe. If any on or off-duty staff member sees a problem escalating then it is their responsibility to step in before it becomes a problem. Politely.

It is also the responsibility of the attendees to keep themselves and others safe by avoiding conflict and reporting problems to staff. If the staff is the problem, then the upper staff are always willing to listen, as well.

What qualifies a person for rovers –

Are you seeing a pattern here? You need to be able to talk to people. You need to be able to understand and explain the rules. You need to be polite and courteous and be able to still tell people to please stop running and please put your shoes on, and please be careful, and I’m sorry but those are our policies, you can submit a policy change request to the convention via email at this address, and this is a member-only event but you can buy your badge right around the corner, and here let me show you, and thank you, have a great day!

. . . with a smile.