EPT
The Three Phases to STREET
Entry
Pressure
Terminate
Grappling being as always Last Resort
One nightclub I was running the Door at was one of those places where we had regular trouble so in weekly Class training, were preparing for the fights we expected to have on the Friday and Saturday nights
This has been covered before, including the techniques and how we trained during the week to be ready
I evolved a Crowd Control tactic based on the Entry Pressure Terminate model, 3 hours, 3 phases
11 to 12 Entry Hour
12 to 1 Pressure Hour
1 to 2 Terminate Hour
Entry Hour - 11pm was when the Club started charging for customers to get in, it was free entry before 11pm. This meant a queue formed and we let people in a few at a time. A large part of the queue would be people who has been drinking in the pubs before. Every nightclub has this. Getting the customers into the Club, the cloakrooms getting filled up, the bars getting busy, and the dance floors starting to fill. I always stood at the entrance during this hour, and this was the opportunity to vet and turn away potential trouble makers. This also meant there would be fights at the door, the first Bouncer Scenario I have described. Some people would of course leave during this hour. Some nights there would be trouble inside, the radio would give warning, and we would need to go inside to deal with it and usually remove the troublemakers. I had two men on the door for this hour and stood in the lobby with them, usually behind, and would step to the front, and sometimes step outside to watch the queue
Pressure Hour - by midnight the Club would be full, we may still get customers arrive, some would be let in, some would be too drunk or otherwise unsuitable. I would leave two men on the door, and go inside the Club. Depending on the size of the crew I would have two or three men inside already and I would join them, now controlling the Club from inside, I would usually rotate the teams, who was on door, who was inside, during the shift. Each man had a radio and earpiece and we were in communication. This Pressure hour is the most likely time to get problems and for fights to break out. Having vetted everyone coming in, I now knew where the groups are, and can keep an eye on any situations as they started to develop. Situation 2 would occur during this Hour, asking a customer to leave. This when we often see Situation 3, joining and stopping a fight that is already underway between two other parties, of two or more each side. There could also be a fight start at the door, and we have the reverse situation from the first Hour where the crew inside had to go back outside to assist the pair on the door.
Terminate Hour - the Club stops letting people in at 1pm, so the men on the door are there to stop anyone trying to come in, and to see people out as they leave. A lot of people are very drunk in this hour. There can be trouble and often was, though most trouble happens during the Pressure Hour. Sometimes and situation builds during the Pressure Hour that kicks off in the last hour . A lot of people leave during the hour, though you always get a crowd who stay right to the end. Last orders at the bar. Lights on, music off, get everyone to the door and out. Process called sheep dogging where you round them all up and get them either straight out or in the cloakroom queue. This is also the last chance for any idiots to start any trouble , and this sometimes did happen
This EPT Crowd Control Model was evolved over time as we dealt with different situations, found better ways deal with them, to prevent them, and to learn from them, so it was improved, adapted, polished, and practiced over a long period
The Three Scenarios
As I have posted elsewhere a doorman will face three main situations - at this point the confrontation will start, be contained, or escalate
One - customer at the door refused entry
Two - customer inside who you have to ask to leave
Three - customers start fighting, you need to stop the fight and get them out
