Case Study Nightclub Industry - Australia

Police claim victory over violent nightclub attack

04Jun07

POLICE claimed a victory against night-time violence when a nightclub attacker was arrested with the help of an identification scanner.

The new technology allowed police to arrest a 19-year-old man within minutes of an alleged attack. A male club patron suffered a broken jaw and fractured left cheekbone during the attack. The police said the alleged offender hit the victim in the face before fleeing the premises. The victim identified the attacker from information stored on a database using the idEye which uses a ScanShell 800 scanner made by Card Scanning Solutions. The system captures a patrons’ license details and crops out the photograph from the ID and places it in the database upon entering the venue.

The victim was able to look at the photos before he was carted off in the ambulance.

Police later found the offender trying to get into another nightclub and charged the attacker with recklessly causing serious injury, recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault.

Police stated that since there was no video surveillance of the incident the (ID scanner) system has really paid off. The controversial technology was introduced for a four-to-six-week trial at nightclubs in Australia to help curb nighttime violence.

The night club owner said “It was absolutely sensational. Within 16 minutes the guy was caught. It took two minutes search in the system to find him,'' Case Study #2 Nightclub Industry – Australia

9May07

THE trial of identification scanners at a Geelong nightclub at the weekend has been hailed a success.

More than 1400 patrons were scanned as they entered Bended Elbow on Saturday night and early Sunday, in the first trial of the controversial technology in Geelong. Bended Elbow manager Jonny Armstrong yesterday said the security measure worked well because the night went without incident. He said a handful of people who threatened to cause trouble decided to leave the venue instead because their details had been recorded.

``Usually we get a couple of scuffles but we didn't have one little thing,'' he said.

``They knew we could find out who they were because we had their details.''

Nightclubs and pubs will step up the trial of the technology in a four-to-six-week blitz. Geelong Nightlife Association chairman Darren Holroyd said the Card Scanning Solutions ID scanners integrated into the idEye system would again be rolled out this weekend. Clubs and pubs are planning to share information on computer databases to ban known troublemakers and underage drinkers. The scanning technology takes about five seconds to scan identification, such as driver's licenses, of each person entering clubs. Mr. Holroyd said the response was pleasing, given the backlash to his call earlier this year for the trial.

``I stood at the entrance and watched a few being scanned. There were no objections to it,'' he said.

``I suppose that everyone going in with the right intention didn't have a problem with it.

``The patrons didn't seem to be deterred at all by it. It flowed really smoothly and they were good about it.''

The nightlife association is calling for funding to help cover having the technology introduced at most or all major clubs and pubs. Trial coordinator said the technology was the best option in tackling night-time violence.

``It keeps a record of identities and makes people more accountable,'' said Mr Frame, a hospitality and security consultant behind this year's introduction of two-way radio links between venues.