Off-Strip security questioned
An RV crashing into the front entrance of the Cannery Casino last weekend has raised concerns about off-Strip casino security in Las Vegas. An expert in security for casino venues has since spoken out on how to better protect patrons from such incidents.
The incident last weekend
According to VSO News, Jennifer Stitt intentionally drove her Winnebago RV into the Cannery Casino entrance after being forcibly removed from the property. She ran over a 66-year-old custodian in the process, who remains in critical condition today.
Douglas Florence, an expert in the field of casino security, said the Cannery has EMTs on staff and a qualified security director. When the incident happened, immediate action was taken and first responders reached the scene in a timely manner.
Further security measures
Florence explained that bollards or other types of blockades could stop someone from wanting to drive through the venue because it creates a barrier. He suggested the installation of concrete barriers with figurines, plant containers, or a landscaping combination to prevent such incidents from occurring.
bollards or other types of blockades could stop someone from wanting to drive through the venue
Florence added that there are bollards located on the Vegas Strip, but most off-Strip casinos do not have such structures in place. The expert said the use of bollards “creates that psychological deterrence that somebody can’t drive through there.”
Dealing with an ejection
Florence also observed that when security removes an individual from a casino, the situation requires taking a step back.
According to Florence, it is important to understand how to ask a person to leave. The way the removal takes place impacts the individual’s decision to be hostile. The hostility level can dictate how a person will retaliate for being thrown out of the casino.
Moving forward
In the Cannery Casino RV incident, the woman continued to press down on the gas pedal until she was physically removed from the vehicle. Florence maintains that bollards would have stopped this incident from occurring in the first place.
The security expert believes off-Strip casinos will proceed to improve their security measures, such as through the inclusion of barriers, by early 2020.