Tag Archives: Police

by | March 27, 2015 · 10:13 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Warrantless Searches of Hotel Guest Registers”

In analyzing the searches and seizures from hotel rooms, the court recognized that while a guest is legally registered in a room,warentless searches the hotel room is a temporary residence and thus, just like their primary residence, the guest is entitled to the same protections under the Fourth Amendment to their guest rooms in a hotel as they would for their primary residence.

Many municipalities have enacted ordinances that authorize local police agencies to enter a hotel during regular business hours and request an inspection of the guest register to obtain information as to who is in the hotel, when they checked in and their anticipated check out time, how long the guest has stayed in the hotel, manner of payment and private information given by the guest to the desk clerk regarding their home address, car license plate and drivers license information. The municipalities argue that such ordinances and warrantless searches are necessary to help stop prostitution and drugs or to ensure compliance with the length of time requirements for motel guests. Many hotel operators have allowed the police agencies to inspect the guest registers without objection as they did not want to be subject to arrest or citation for not complying with the police requests.

However, some managers have objected and have been convicted of failure to comply with the inspection request. They argue that the police need a warrant to search the hotel registers and further, that the ordinances are not specifically limited to time, scope and duration of the inspection allowed or an opportunity to seek judicial review of the ordinance before being subjected to arrest and conviction for refusing to comply with the police agency’s request.

For more: http://bit.ly/1F1pS2t

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by | December 29, 2014 · 10:31 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Hotel Industry Takes Action with 911 Direct Dial”

To date, 10 of AH&LA’s largest hotel member chains have activated 911 direct dial access at nearly all of their owned and managed properties, with the remainder expected to complete the process very soon.911 Further, more than half of these chains have updated, or are in the process of updating, brand standards to ensure franchisees upgrade their phone systems as well. Led by AH&LA, all of these chains, as well as the broader hotel industry, also have worked hard to educate franchisees and their properties on the need to make the switch as quickly as possible.

One year ago, tragedy struck an east Texas town. Not only did our community lose a loving mother, daughter, and sister, but the nation also lost trust in a system it relies on in life-threatening circumstances.

Last December, Kari Rene Hunt Dunn was murdered by her estranged husband in a hotel room in Marshall, Texas. Kari’s 9-year-old daughter, while witnessing the unthinkable, did exactly what we train our children to do in an emergency—dial 911. However, in this case, the daughter could not get through to the authorities because she failed to dial 9 to get an outside line.

For more: http://bit.ly/1rvrX3F

 

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by | October 20, 2014 · 11:16 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Justices Will Decide Privacy Case on Hotel Records” (VIDEO)

“Los Angeles has said the ordinance makes prostitutes and drug dealers less likely to use hotels if they know that the facilities must collect information about guests and make them available to police on a moment’s noticegavel (1)…In dissent, Judge Richard Clifton said that courts previously have ruled that hotel guests have no expectation of privacy in records of their names and room numbers. “A guest’s information is even less personal to the hotel than it is to the guest,” Clifton said.”

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to referee a dispute over police access to hotels’ guest information without first getting a search warrant.

The justices said they will hear an appeal by the city of Los Angeles of a lower court ruling that struck down an ordinance that requires hotel operators to open their guest registries at the demand of police.

The federal appeals court in San Francisco divided 7-4 in ruling that the ordinance violates the privacy rights of the hotels, but not their guests.

For more: http://bit.ly/1zi8CGd

And for more information on how to best handle police requests for information, check out Petra’s own Director of Risk Management, Todd Seiders, in this P3 Risk Management Update “How to Handle Police and Law Enforcement Request for Hotel Guest Information”.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/109469870 w=500&h=281]

P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.

For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.

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by | September 30, 2014 · 9:23 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Guest Room Privacy and the Fourth Amendment”

In order to create and follow an eviction policy that promotes compliance with the Fourth Amendment, a hotel should identify behaviors that justify eviction.  This requires consultation of the law, including any statutes that govern hotel policies.cop car  The hotel should then train its staff to recognize and respond to behavior that triggers eviction.  A hotel should also provide guests with its eviction policy or communicate in some way the types of behavior that could trigger an eviction.  Finally, in the event of an eviction, the hotel must take steps to communicate to the guest that he or she is being evicted.

Hotels are faced with a delicate balancing act when it comes to maintaining guest privacy.  Hotel staff must comply with police investigations when noncompliance would constitute obstruction of justice.  At the same time, hotel employees must recognize their guests’ Fourth Amendment right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures.  If hotel employees comply with an unreasonable search or seizure that results in harm to the guest, the hotel could find itself exposed to civil liability.

Courts have recognized that the Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable searches and seizures applies to searches and seizures in hotel and motel rooms.  Certain exceptions allow for warrantless searches and seizures, including consent.  In broad terms, the consent exception means that a party’s agreement, actual or implied to a search and/or seizure renders a warrant unnecessary.

For more: http://bit.ly/1pompRR

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by | August 26, 2014 · 9:46 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Update: “Dunmore Hotel Evacuated”

“Twenty-four people were taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center. By 5 p.m. all but one had been released, according to hospital spokeswoman Westyn Hinchey.dunmore-pennsylvania-hotel-hotels-atrium The last patient was transferred to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for treatment of carbon monoxide exposure, Hinchey said. She said she could not release that person’s name and did not know his/her condition.”

At least one person remained hospitalized Sunday night and a Dunmore hotel is closed today after over 200 guests were evacuated Sunday morning. More than two dozen were taken to area hospitals to be evaluated for possible carbon monoxide inhalation.

Those staying at the Best Western Plus Hotel on Tigue Street with symptoms were removed in buses and ambulances after a carbon monoxide leak “stemming from a furnace” was discovered just before 9 a.m., Dunmore Fire Chief Christopher DeNaples said.

For more: http://bit.ly/XPDbme

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by | September 1, 2013 · 8:12 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: “Emergency Management Software” For Hotels Provides Fire, Police Departments With Instant Access To “Site And Floor Plans, HAZMAT Details And Utility Shut-Off Locations”

“…By installing (the Emergency Management Software), Doubletree provides Detroit’s first responders instant on-site access to site plans, floor Hotel Emergency Management Softwareplans, hazardous material details, utility shut-off locations, geographical maps, fire hydrants locations, persons with special needs, guests and residents, and other critical information.  The pre-plan data will be on a touch screen computer in the lobby as well as on the mobile data computers in Detroit’s fire department and law enforcement vehicles…”

“Our adoption of this technology is an excellent example of the private sector bracing the public works,” said Shannon Dunavent, general manager of Detroit DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.  “This new technology will be fully implemented by September 1st, making all critical building information quickly available to first responders.  We are not only making a smart, cost-effective investment in our property and in the safety of our guests and staff, but in the city’s ability to respond to emergencies.”

CommandScope allows building and facility owners, managers and first responders alike to easily add and upload building and site data.  The information is shareable across organizations and city departments, and is updateable in real-time allowing first responders to act with knowledge rather than trial and error.  First responders can save time and lives by immediately execute emergency procedures instead of wasting time locating managers or engineers on site.

For more:  http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2013/08/commandscope-pre-plan-technology-changing-the-nature-of-first-response.html

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by | July 6, 2012 · 6:56 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Florida Motels To Work With Police To Identify And Avoid Meth Lab Operations In Guest Rooms

At the end of the month … police will have a training program to educate hotels on how to identify potential meth dealers looking for a temporary base to cook. In the last three months there have been three drug lab busts in two Motel 6 locations in Jacksonville.

The problem of meth labs in local motel rooms seems to be growing, but there is a renewed focus on stopping the spread.

Fred Pozin, General Manager of the Ramada in Mandarin, tells WOKV they work directly with the Sheriff’s Office to try and seek out the users.

For more:  http://www.wokv.com/weblogs/morning-news-recap/2012/jul/06/stopping-mobile-meth-labs/

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by | December 16, 2011 · 7:03 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Prevention: Montana Police Task Force Trains Hotel Employees To Look For Evidence Of Drug And Prostitution Activity

Employees are taught to look for signs such as people who pay only in cash, give false vehicle information or don’t let housekeeping into their rooms for long periods of time.

The task force recently began implementing a program in which hotel and motel employees are trained to look for evidence of illegal drug activity coming from rooms, and to know who to call if they see something suspicious.

The recent arrests of three people suspected of running a prostitution operation in a room at the TownHouse Inn was a result of a tip made by an employee of the hotel to the Central Montana Drug Task Force.

The employee was trained by Sgt. Chris Hickman of the Great Falls Police Department, a member of the multi-agency task force, to recognize signs of suspicious behavior. While it was initially suspected that the three individuals were running a drug operation, Hickman said he was glad that officers were able to shut down the alleged prostitution as a result cooperation from hotel staff.

 According to Hickman, police are pursuing three active cases because of tips from cooperative lodging employees in Great Falls, but an unfortunate by-product of that cooperation can sometimes be a sullied reputation for the business if a tip leads to a publicized arrest.

For more:  http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20111214/NEWS01/112140311/Great-Falls-program-netted-prostitution-ring-relies-hotel-staff-tips

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by | November 15, 2011 · 6:32 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Suspect In California Hotel Guest Room Burglaries Arrested After Successful Surveillances; Entered Rooms Through Patio Sliding Door

After the string of burglaries, the Palms Springs Police Department started conducting surveillances outside the hotel, and it was during one of those surveillances that they found the suspect.

The general manager of the Desert Riviera says to look for a hotel where staff seems involved and aware.

Police saw Christopher Thompson climbing into the outside patio area of a hotel room. He got into the room through a sliding glass door. Tourists we talked with were surprised to hear about the crime, but always take steps to keep their belongings safe when they travel.

Block says there are also some simple steps you can take to make sure you don’t become a victim of a crime when you travel.

  1. Lock not just the front door but the back sliding glass door as well
  2. Take valuables with you
  3. Choose a hotel where the parking area looks lit and safe
  4. Always lock your car
  5. Spend time researching the hotel

For more:  http://www.kesq.com/news/29769831/detail.html

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by | September 18, 2011 · 6:40 pm

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Florida Hotel Evacuated By Police Bomb Squad After "Suspicious" Suitcases Are Found In Lobby

“…The scare shut down nearby roads and displaced about 300 guests. They were shifted to the nearby Renaissance Hotel. Deputies roped the area off and surrounded the hotel…”

An International Drive hotel was evacuated Sunday night after two suspicious packages were found in the lobby, Orange County deputies said.

Authorities said the bomb squad was called to the Hilton Garden Inn on Westwood Boulevard. The suspicious packages were two suitcases that were left behind by guests in the lobby at about 6:00 p.m.

After nearly four hours, investigators deemed the two suitcases safe. But officials haven’t said what they found inside.

For more:  http://www.wftv.com/news/29225407/detail.html

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