Club Bouncers Train to Be New Front Line on Terrorism

The bouncers are taking a 12-hour class over two days to receive National Host Security Certificate training

Anyone who has been to a nightclub knows bouncers are there to keep people safe, check identification and make the evening peaceful. Some bouncers are expanding their duties by keeping an eye out for terror attacks.

Soft targets, like nightclubs, have been hit by terrorists in places around the world. Robert Smith, a nightclub security consultant, is teaching a group of D.C. club bouncers how they can help protect their establishments and the people inside.

The bouncers are taking a 12-hour class over two days to receive National Host Security Certificate training. Smith, a retired 20-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department, said one of the things they look for is a convincing fake identification, usually made in China.

"When a bouncer is checking ID, not many self-respecting terrorists are going to use their own legitimate ID. They will go get a China fake," Smith said, referring to counterfeit ID’s.

Last November, terrorists launched an attack at soft targets in Paris, hitting cafes, restaurants and a music venue. The director of the D.C. Nightlife and Hospitality Association supports the training, hoping it will help keep people safe.

"This training, programs like this, are how we ensure that our member businesses are prepared for any kind of scenario," said director Mark Lee.

The bouncers believe the training will help them serve as another front line in the war on terror.

"You don't want to see anyone [set] down a bag or... those things," said bouncer Vincent Andrews. "It makes me look at it twice."

Smith told the bouncers to take the fake IDs they come across and tell the person to call police in order to get it back.

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