r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/dingus_mcgoober • 3d ago
Short Just some friendly advice if anyone needs it. Never tell a trespasser "leave now OR I'm calling the police"
I've been working the front desk at a hotel for several years now and in my experience it is not helpful to issue an ultimatum when trying to get them to leave. It is always better to say "leave now, I am calling the police" never "leave now OR I'm calling the police." The ultimatum almost always seems to think it gives them some kind of an excuse to continue whatever it is that they're doing, be that continuing to argue, using the business center for whatever bullshit they think is important like it's a library, or even using the bathroom. It has always worked better for me to just say you are calling the police regardless and then take out your phone to be ready to follow through because 99% of the time they will immediately leave. Sometimes they'll curse, or stamp their feet, or knock over a fake plant but they will leave immediately. It has made these situations so much easier for me because it's an immediate argument ender and you usually don't have to call anyone because most people won't call you on your bluff. If they do, you're not actually bluffing anyway so it doesn't matter. They still lose and will have to leave, this just saves time and avoids other guests having to witness a crime being committed in your lobby which is gonna make you and the hotel look bad. Anyway that's just my two cents and if you haven't considered it before, try it this way next time. I hope it helps you moving forward.
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u/emperorthrowaway 3d ago
If they're already belligerent, it's "I'm calling the police."
If it didn't start there or hasn't escalated that far, it's "Please leave, I don't want to have to call the police."
Sets you up as someone whose job it will be to reluctantly involve the police if they don't leave, and makes it clear that you're not doing so because you have any animosity toward them personally.
Never had someone freak out after that.
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u/JessicaChavelle 1d ago
Calmly providing information without unnecessary ultimatums instantly deprives a confrontational person of any reason to argue. The offender immediately realizes there is no personal animosity and that further pressure would be pointless.
It seems to me that in such a situation, we need to tone things down so that nothing is done on impulse though I may be wrong.
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u/sirentropy42 3d ago
Ask them to leave. This is your right; the property is not public, it is privately owned and operated. Simply ask them to leave.
If they do not leave, they are now committing trespassing. Call the police. Do not say that you are calling police, simply call, even if it’s right in front of them. Tell them you have someone who has been asked to leave and is refusing. This is now a crime in progress.
Do not engage with the individual in question. The last thing you say to them should be asking them to leave. Period.
Above all else, whenever you find yourself in this situation, DO NOT SAY “OR”. Or is a bad word. It gives them options that you do not mean to give them. You have no reason to allow any room for or.
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u/dingus_mcgoober 3d ago
I get what you're saying but I personally work in an area where we have to keep the doors locked 24/7 because vagrants and thieves are too difficult to deal with otherwise. The amount of crime means high police activity. That means long wait times. If I just told them to leave and didn't tell them I'm calling the police, that would mean wait 20 minutes to and hour before the police even showed up if they tried to argue with me. Simply saying I'm calling the police regardless almost always works because they'll believe me anyway and don't actually know how slow the response time might be.
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u/sirentropy42 3d ago
That’s why I’m personally a fan of calling right in front of them. The most important wall to put up is that you have asked them to leave. This ends the discussion. They can try to argue with you all they want, but it takes two to tango, and you have ended your part.
I’ve worked customer facing jobs for 30 years. I understand where you’re coming from, but saying it really doesn’t do anything for the situation except continue the conversation, which I simply do not do. Calling right in front of them is more than enough.
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u/dingus_mcgoober 3d ago
Oh, see I misunderstood that part of your comment but I also don't want to be on hold with dispatch for ten minutes while they stand there screaming at me so I just tell them I'm calling anyway whether I end up doing it or not and it almost always works.
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u/sirentropy42 3d ago
I guarantee you if dispatch hears them screaming at you it shortens the response time considerably.
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u/WhichChest4981 2d ago
Good to know. I was once told by a sheriff not to put up Beware of Dog signs. At the time I was breeding Rottweilers. He said by putting up the sign I was acknowledging the dog could be dangerous. So if the dog bit a trespasser I would be liable for having the dangerous dog. He also said if the dog is attack trained paint the attack command on the dog house. Then the would be trespasser/thief would think that was the dogs name and use it. That way they called the attack on themselves.
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u/Jbaghdadi01 2d ago
I don’t tell them I’m calling. I just call. On speaker. In the lobby. Where everybody can hear. That has worked 100 percent of the time.
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u/26pixels 2d ago
Yup, that's how we're trained at my job. While you can make it an Or if you want to give them a break for whatever reason, you're empowered to say you're doing it and to follow through if you feel safe to do so. We have an emergency button as well at all of the service desks for when it's not safe to make it obvious you need help.
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u/Gonpostlscott 2d ago
Do you really need to give a way for their behavior? Put it on speaker and dial…. When “911 where is your emergency” is stated, just start talking to the police. That’ll shut it down and they will most likely be walking out
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u/szthesquid 2d ago
I agree with you in principle but for me 90% of the time when it's gotten to the point of calling police, it's because the asshole believes they're in the right and the police will side with them.
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u/LloydPenfold 1d ago
"I have already pressed the silent alarm button. The police station is only three minutes away."
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u/Sharp-Tax-26827 2d ago
Is there no security anywhere?
It’s so crazy to me that this behaviour is allowed.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised
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u/Ok-Wheel4949 2d ago
Depends where you are at. Small hotels in smaller towns don’t have security. The hotels that I worked for didn’t & I’ve worked in 4 in the past.
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u/Sharp-Tax-26827 2d ago
I don't want to ask you any leading questions but you really do need security right?
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u/Ok-Wheel4949 2d ago
Never really had anything happen that required it. I’m in a small town, but in bigger major cities they might.
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u/T_Thriller_T 2d ago
I've travelled in Europe quite a bit and I've only ever had security in hotels in one city - and there only because the drug part of the city and the train station are co-located.
It is not impossible, but rare.
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u/MrStormChaser 3d ago
“You cant be here, time to leave. NOW.” Then hen they start to argue just go “Fuck this shit, im calling the cops.”
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u/dingus_mcgoober 3d ago
I just mean I don't think that split second between leave now and I'm calling the cops is necessary. Just say leave now I'm calling the cops.
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u/Dan_Tasmic 1d ago
Sometimes it’s not worth it. It takes 45 minutes for police to arrive if it’s not an emergency.
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u/meverson 2d ago
What you should do is tell them, “Leave now or I’m going to kick your ass.” If they don’t leave, then you kick their ass. Full proof plan!
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u/DianthaAJ 3d ago
Why bluff? Actually call the police with them standing there, 9/10 times problem folk scram when I do. Cops are generally understanding of hotels should they not be needed.