I. Introduction Loss Prevention Surveys

Guest Loss or Injury

Immediately upon serious loss or injury to a guest within the hotel or on hotel property, a

complete investigation should be conducted. The hotels should submit a report within 24

hours to the Risk Management Department, regardless of the severity of the incident.

In the event the injury or illness is serious, local emergency medical services should be

contacted immediately. For non-life threatening requests for medical or dental services,

it is important not to make specific referrals to a particular doctor, dentist, clinic or

hospital. The guest should be provided with "listings" of area medical/dental

professionals allowing them to choose for themselves. After the guest selects a listing,

Guest Emergencies

VI-3

the hotel may assist the guest and arrange appointments. The practice of maintaining a

"house" doctor is discouraged if adequate emergency services are available.

Hotel operations may be subject to small claims involving guests’ property. Because

prompt settlement of a guest's claim is often essential to guest satisfaction, the General

Manager may settle a claim for up to $500 U.S.D. These claims, however, should be

carefully handled to avoid unfavorable publicity or other problems. If handled locally,

appropriate settlement release forms should be obtained from the Risk Management

Department.

No claim which involves either physical or personal injury to a guest should be settled by

the hotel. The General Manager, however, should show compassion and, if appropriate,

provide small courtesies, i.e., flowers, candy, discounted or complementary room etc.


Litigation

In the event the hotel receives notice of a lawsuit, hotel management should immediately

forward copies of all legal documents as well as copies of the guest incident report to the

legal department.

Any consultation with the plaintiff’s legal counsel should be coordinated by the litigation

section of the legal department.

Guest Emergencies

VI-4

Guest Illness and Injuries

In the event that a guest has an accident at your hotel, it is important that your staff

responds in a prompt and professional manner. Be courteous and do not argue. Hotel

staff should contact security or the designated first aid providers immediately. If the

injury is minor, first aid should be provided to the guest by qualified staff. For non-life

threatening requests for medical or dental services, it is important not to make specific

referrals to a particular doctor, dentist, clinic or hospital. The guest should be provided

with "listings" of area medical/dental professionals allowing them to choose for

themselves. After the guest selects a listing, the hotel may assist the guest and arrange

appointments. The practice of maintaining a "house" doctor is discouraged if adequate

emergency services are available.

Guests should be transported via taxi, employees should not use personal vehicles. When

the injury is serious, an ambulance should be called and the individual should be taken to

the nearest hospital emergency room. First aid procedures should be initiated, pending the

arrival of emergency services. If the injury is a result of a fall, the guest should not be

moved. Employees should follow Universal Precautions, as outlined in the Bloodborne

Pathogens program when dealing with guest’s bodily fluids. If the guest declines medical

treatment, they should be asked to sign a declination for medical treatment form which

should be submitted as part of the accident investigation form. A sample form is located in

the appendix.

Hotel staff should not discuss the accident or offer any opinions or speculation about the

cause of the accident. Action should be taken to correct any known problems or hazards.

Actions taken to eliminate any hazards after the accident has occurred are not admissions of

negligence, rather, this will help prevent a reoccurrence of the accident. An accident

investigation should be completed as outlined in this manual. Upon request, the guest

should be provided with the name and phone number of the claims adjuster handling the

file. Claim settlements or liability issues should not be discussed with the guest. The guest

should not be provided with any of the hotel’s documentation concerning this event, with

the exception of a Notice of Report on File. A sample form is included in the appendix.

If the guest is admitted to the hospital and they wish their room to be vacated, a designated

member of hotel management should make an inventory of the room contents in the

presence of a witness. Try to contact the guest's employer or relatives. If proper

notification cannot be made, contact local police officials for their assistance. Relatives

claiming these items should sign the inventory list as the receipt for the items. Detailed

notes concerning the cause of the accident and the condition of the guest (thick glasses,

slurred speech, smell of alcohol, and other noticeable details) should be made as soon as

practical. At the discretion of hotel management, photographs of the area where the

accident occurred may be taken.

Guest Emergencies

VI-5

Attempted Suicide

Management and security should make every reasonable effort to prevent disturbed

persons from attempting suicide. Upon receipt of information that a suicide is threatened,

local authorities should be immediately notified.

Security officers or hotel management should go to and remain at the scene to assist and

to calm the person involved. When the local authorities arrive, they will take charge.

In dealing with a suicide attempt, the management on duty should:

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  Call an ambulance.
  
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  Notify the police.
  
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  If it is safe to do so, have a qualified person render first aid.
  
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  Inventory and pack any personal items and give them to the police or place them in
  
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  the ambulance with the individual. Have the police sign the inventory list as a
  
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  receipt.
  
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  Should this person return to the hotel after having been released, they should not be
  
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  accepted again as a guest.
  
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  If the person is not taken to a hospital or removed by the police, have two
  
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  responsible individuals stay with the person until a relative or public agency
  
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  representative arrives to assume responsibility for the individual. If the individual
  
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  is a female, at least one female staff member should be present at all times.
  
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  Contact the Loss Prevention Department by telephone.
  
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  For action to take in the event of an actual suicide, see the section entitled "Death of a
  
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  Guest."
  

Guest Emergencies

VI-6

Death of a Guest

In the event of a death, these guidelines should be followed:

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  Call an Ambulance.
  
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  Notify the Police.
  
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  Secure the area/preserve the crime scene if applicable.
  
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  Inform the General Manager immediately.
  
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  Notification of the next of kin should be handled by the local authorities.
  
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  Be supportive and listen to family/friends staying with guest.
  
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  Obtain as much information about the person as possible.
  
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  Interrogate the guestroom lock.
  
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  If the person is a foreign national, notify the Consular office.
  
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  Obtain permission from the local police authorities to conduct a witnessed
  
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  inventory of the deceased's belongings, if he was a registered guest. These items
  
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  should be stored securely and not released until the local authorities give
  
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  permission.
  
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  A receipt should be obtained for any item taken from the room by local authorities.
  
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  A receipt should also be obtained from the individual authorized to claim the
  
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  personal effects of the deceased.
  
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  The hotel should obtain permission from the authorities prior to cleaning the
  
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  guestroom. Hotel staff should follow Universal Precautions when encountering
  
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  bodily fluids. If significant quantities of bodily fluids are present, the hotel should
  
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  consider hiring a professional cleaning service. Any damage or loss should be
  
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  reported to the Claims Department.
  
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  A complete report of the incident should be forwarded to Senior Management and
  
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  the Loss Prevention Department.
  

Only the General Manager, or his designee, should discuss a death in the hotel with the

news media. Care should be taken to not speculate or offer any opinion. Employees

should refrain from making any statements to staff, guests or the media.
VII. Criminal Acts & Misconduct

Introduction .......................................................................................................................2

Prostitution........................................................................................................................2

Theft of Guest Proper ty ....................................................................................................4

Counterfeiters ....................................................................................................................5

Armed Robbery .................................................................................................................6

Drug Activity......................................................................................................................8

Drug Testing ......................................................................................................................9

Distraction Theft..............................................................................................................10

Theft by Guests................................................................................................................11

Harassment ......................................................................................................................12

Sexual Assault ..................................................................................................................12

Denial of Occupancy .......................................................................................................13

Guest Eviction ..................................................................................................................13

Unruly Guests & Disturbances.......................................................................................13

Criminal Trespass Warning...........................................................................................14

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-2

Introduction

Criminal acts against guests, employees, and the hotel, no matter how minor, must be

investigated. Failure to investigate these occurrences can lead to an escalation of the

frequency and severity of these crimes. The police department should always be contacted

if a crime such as a robbery or assault occurs, or in the event that a guest makes a claim for

lost property.

If a guest is injured as a result of a criminal act, the hotel should follow the procedures

outlined in the “Guest Injury and Illness” section of this manual.

In preparation for possible litigation, these incidents should be completely investigated and

documented. Statements should be taken from appropriate staff and witnesses. The events

should be documented in the MOD report, the security officer’s log, and the incident

report. The Risk Management Department should be put on notice of the event. Copies of

applicable reports should be obtained from local authorities.

Prostitution

Prostitution on hotel premises presents a problem that requires delicate handling.

Occasionally, the security personnel or management of a hotel may maintain a picture file

of known persons who have been issued trespass warnings. These individuals can be asked

to leave the premises as soon as they are recognized. If the person suspected of prostitution

is not known, then care should be exercised in deciding whether to approach that person.

Consider the following suggestions in dealing with suspected prostitutes.

If an individual attempts to solicit "business" by knocking on guestroom doors or by

approaching guests in the lounge, public areas, or restaurant, then the individual should be

asked to leave the property. At this time, the suspect should be told that future visits to the

property could result in prosecution for trespassing.

If a suspected prostitute checks into the hotel and is believed to be conducting "business" in

their room, the guest should be contacted regarding the unusual activity. Care should be

taken not to defame or otherwise accuse the individual of prostitution. If the activity

continues or guest complaints are received, the hotel should consider evicting the guest and

may choose to issue a criminal trespass warning. The fact that an individual has become a

guest in the hotel does not sanction use of the room for illegal purposes. In the event the

individual creates a disturbance, procedures as outlined in the “Unruly Guests and

Disturbances” section of this manual should be implemented.

When a person who has been previously warned enters the hotel and approaches a guest,

the police should be contacted and the hotel management should file charges of trespassing.

It may be easier to prove a charge of trespassing than to prove a charge of soliciting.

Penalties for trespassing are often more severe than penalties for solicitation.
Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-3

Repeated prostitution at a hotel may indicate that there is an inside contact soliciting the

business. The hotel should investigate to ensure that employees are not involved in any

illegal activity.

The General Manager should initiate and maintain programs designed to effectively

reduce the many problems that stem from either active or passive toleration of

prostitution. Criminal activities associated with prostitution may be deterred by:

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  Restricting access of master keys
  
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  Controlling access to the hotel during the night by closing all but one entrance/exit.
  
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  Control of elevators by setting them to stop at the lobby floor.
  
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  Staffing security department with officers capable of mature judgment in questioning
  
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  suspects.
  
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  Skilled questioning of suspects.
  
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  Investigating complaints of dirty, vacant rooms.
  
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  Tightly controlling off-market and out of order (DNR) rooms.
  
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  Prosecution of persons arrested for illegal presence or actions on hotel property.
  
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  Establish working relations with other hotel security departments and the police.
  
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  Training and maintaining an alert staff.
  
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  General Managers should not adopt programs to combat on-site solicitation without prior
  
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  consultation with the Loss Prevention Department, particularly if police cooperation is
  
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  desired.
  

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-4

Theft of Guest Property

All allegations of theft and guest personal property should be taken seriously and

investigated. If the guest wishes to file a claim, a report should be filed with the local

authorities and the hotel should notify the Claims Department.

Guestroom Theft

In the event of a guest complaint of missing or damaged items, the MOD or a member of

security should meet with the guest and take a report of the loss. The guest should be

asked to establish a time the item was last seen. An interrogation of the guest lock should

be conducted immediately. If the lock interrogation reveals that no entries were made

into the room during this period of time, the MOD or security should inspect the door and

lock for the following:

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  Evidence of brute force attacks.
  
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  Signs of damage to the frame.
  
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  Missing or misaligned strike plate.
  
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  Missing or non-functioning anti-shim device.
  
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  Malfunctioning automatic door closer or spring hinges.
  
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  The presence of any of these could be used to help validate a guest's claim of loss. In the
  
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  absence of any evidence of criminal activity, the guest should be tactfully informed of the
  
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  results of the lock interrogation and asked if they would like assistance in searching for
  
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  any missing items. Searches should only be completed with the consent of the guest.
  
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  During a search, at least two employees should be present. The door should remain open.
  
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  In the event that the lock interrogation indicated activity of hotel staff during the
  
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  specified time, a check should be made to ensure that the employee was authorized to be
  
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  in that room at that time. The employee should be interviewed to determine if they saw
  
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  the item. If there is any suspicion of guilt, the procedures outlined under the "Employee
  
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  Theft" section of this manual should be implemented.
  
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  If the guest wishes to file a claim, the hotel should request that the guest file a report with
  
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  the local authorities and their homeowner's insurance carrier. Guests should not be
  
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  provided with copies of hotel documentation, including investigative summaries, loss and
  
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  incident reports or lock interrogation reports. The guest may be provided with a Notice
  
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  of Report on File. A sample form is included in the appendix.
  

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-5

Counterfeiters

Detection of counterfeit currency is becoming more difficult. Counterfeiters rarely make

one, five or ten dollar bills. The denominations of twenty, fifty, and one hundred dollar

bills are more commonly targeted. Hotel staff should be trained in the detection of

counterfeit and suspect bills. Materials to aid in training staff are available from the

treasury department, local banks and the local police. Tools to help in the identification

of counterfeit bills are readily available and include counterfeit markers, scanners, and

posters.

If a clerk does receive a bill that is suspected to be counterfeit, they should inform the

potential guest that the hotel can not accept their currency. Staff should request an

alternate form of payment. Management should be informed and the local authorities

contacted. Care should be taken not to accuse a guest of passing counterfeit currency.

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-6

Armed Robbery

Hotels may become a target for armed robbery. To reduce your exposure for armed

robbery, proper cash handling procedures should be followed. The amount of cash at the

front desk should be limited to that necessary for conducting business. Clerks and cashiers

should make deposit drops whenever their bank doubles or large currency bills are

received. In addition, the following recommendations should be followed:

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  Staff members who will be handling cash should be trained in the procedures to be
  
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  followed in the event of an armed robbery.
  
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  Notify the police or your security department if suspicious persons are seen loitering on
  
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  the hotel property.
  
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  Visibility of the security staff is an important component of deterrence. Officers should
  
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  conduct frequent tours of the hotel property beginning and ending their tour in the
  
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  lobby.
  
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  Consideration should be given to the installation of CCTV cameras at the front desk
  
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  and lobby.
  
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  Depending on hotel type and location, consideration should be given to installation of
  
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  an intercom and securing the front door with an electronic latch.
  
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  Panic alarms should only be utilized in properties with limited staff. Prior to
  
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  installation, the hotel should discuss response procedures with law enforcement. Care
  
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  should be taken to ensure that staff is trained in the proper use and operation of the
  
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  alarm. Alarms should ring directly to a central station.
  

Action when Robbery Occurs

Armed robberies are volatile situations. The focus of the employee should be to provide

the robber with what they demand in a calm and efficient manner. No effort to detain or

slow the robber's departure should be made. Staff should be trained to repeat a robber's

instructions and recite them while they are being implemented. Advise every staff member

to keep the following suggestions in mind:

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  Remain calm and treat the individual with respect. Care should be taken not to incite or
  
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  argue with the robber.
  
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  Consider all firearms to be loaded.
  
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  Avoid any action which might excite the robber or cause them to become violent.
  
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  Always keep your hands in view and announce in advance any moves you intend to
  
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  make.
  
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  Carefully note all physical characteristics of the robber in order to assist police in
  
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  identification later.
  
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  Staff should not make any effort to detain or slow a robber's departure.
  
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  If possible, be alert to the direction and manner of escape. It is extremely important to
  
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  obtain the license number as well as a description of the automobile.
  
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  Notify the police immediately after the robbery. Limit access to the area where the crime
  
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  occurred in the likelihood that evidence such as fingerprints could be obtained if the area is
  
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  not disturbed. This includes any doors opened by the robber(s). As soon as possible after
  

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-7

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  calling the police, write a description of the robber(s) and the means of escape. Ask any
  
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  witness to wait until the police arrive so they may give a description of the robber(s).
  
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  All media inquiries should be referred to the General Manager or their designee. Certain
  
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  details of the incident should not be given to the media. Examples include:
  
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  The exact amount of money taken in the robbery.
  
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  Any cash that was overlooked by the robber(s).
  
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  Any alarm systems at the hotel (or the absence of alarms).
  
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  The identity of employees who can accurately describe the robber(s).
  
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  A physical description of the robber(s).
  
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  Any video surveillance of the robbery.
  

The media should be given a general statement concerning the event of the robbery, and the

media should then be directed to the police who are making the official investigation of the

crime. Refer to the section of this manual on "Communications with the Media" for

information on how to prepare a news release of this type.

The hotel should notify the Risk Management Department as soon as possible. A copy of

the police report should be obtained.

Criminal Acts & Misconducts

VII-8