dragoncon_lj_archive | Security at Dragon*Con 2011

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Security at Dragon*Con 2011

EDIT: With the great response this post is getting, let's try and make something happen here. Send Dragon*con security any ideas you may have in ways to improve security for the 2011 show. Go to the contact security form through the D*Con web page. Get as many people as you can to do the same. Pass the word along. Select "security" from the drop down menu. The hotels and Dragon*con MUST agree to start checking badges or room keys at the hotel entrances to keep the non-con goers out. Why should we pay and others not?!

dragoncon.org/dc_contact.php

Since it doesn't seem like anyone has addressed this issue for D*Con 2011 recently, I will go ahead and put it on the table.

As I'm sure many others noticed, last year there were several security concerns during the convention. I remember reading all the different posts of women being accosted and "felt up" by individuals who had no badge and nothing to do with the convention itself. Letters were mailed to the hotel and complaints filed. Since then, it has all gone quiet.... Has anything been done by the hotel or Dragon*Con to alleviate this problem? Or, are the powers that be just hoping we would all forget about it and just deal for next year?

I have noticed every year the convention getting more and more filled with people who have come to the hotels thinking they would be getting a free "freaks on parade" show. Individuals include: Football fans, nearby college students, and random people off the street hoping to get a free good time at the expense of those who paid to be there. It's not the same convention it was 5 years ago, the con is changing and not for the good.

Before I go dumping more hard earned money on a convention that is already getting ridiculously priced, are any of these issues going to be addressed? What is to keep random grabby pervs away from my girlfriend or friends? With everything getting expensive these days, I need some re-assurances that this will be a safe convention and the money will be well spent. I wonder what the ratio is of people who just wander in off the streets is, to those who actually paid for a badge?

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This.

Though I was under the impression that Bob and Carl do all the cleaning after the convention... ;P

to be fair - I doubt D*con gets any of the profits from the booze carts. Those are essentially concession stands from the hotel.

Actually, no, it's not legal to serve someone that's drunk off their ass. Bartenders have the right and OBLIGATION to cut people off who have had too much.

Ditto. With the amount of money I've spent on badges over the years, I could have saved a LOT if I had just bought an eternal membership back when they were $700 or cheaper. :(

Good advise - not always convienent but something I could try this year.

To be honest, I am not a huge "OMIGOD I CAN'T BE AROUND ALCOHOL!!" person. I drink. I enjoy drinking. The issue of alcohol sales in the registration line is that everyone is getting on their high horse with "ONLY YOU CAN PROTECT YOU - ITS NOT THE HOTEL'S JOB OR THE CON'S JOB TO STOP ADULTS FROM DRINKING!" - and my point is - If I am not not drinking, but I am forced to stand butthole to butthole in a line in a steaming hot room with no ventalation and increasingly angry shouting people who are being plied with alcohol - how is it *my* fault for not protecting myself?

I'm not a huge congoer, but I have never seen this at the other cons I have been to. The people getting crazy in their hotel rooms, or having too much in the bars, yes, but the beer stations in the registration line no....

And the whole tone here is "Don't like it, don't go" which fine, thats an option. I could be wrong... I don't think the getting drunk in the registration line from hell is a *standard* con going appearence since I've only seen it at D*con.

I thought I was making a reasonable suggestion, as opposed to suggesting the con go "dry" (unreasonable even if I did have a problem with alcohol) or that there be security guards every where... removing the beer carts from the registration line might tone down the party atmosphere a bit.

Do you think it might be possible to write up a template of sorts for people who would like to follow your advise and contact DragonCon staff? I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be willing to write an email expressing an interest in an updated security system, but are unsure of what to say in their email.

Well said.

Yeah, honestly I don't see the point of beer carts in a slow-moving line, overcrowded, hot line anyway. But it's legal, and if the demand is there why wouldn't the hotel respond to the demand? That said, I'm *really* hoping that the new barcode system this year will eliminate the several hour waits, and thus cut down on the demand for beer sales in line.

One of the best things about Dragon*Con is how much there is to see and do, for all different sorts of interests. Of course the other side of that coin is that there will often be things going on that someone doesn't like, whether it's drunken debauchery or panels/guests that aren't "genre" enough or whatever. I just tend to think that with an event this big, it's best to look for ways to work around what you don't like, rather than trying to get the con to change to what you do like. Yes, speaking out in threads like this ahead of time is important (and hopefully helpful, but that's up to the Powers That Be), but in the end you need to look out for yourself. If that means changing the time at which you usually do something -- whether that's when you go through pre-reg or how late you stay out in the evening or anything else -- or organizing a group of like-minded people to hang out with, or whatever it takes. The con is large enough for people to forge their own little pockets of what they want to do, without it affecting anyone else.

Anyhow, I agree with you about the beer in the registration line. For me it just seems easier to adjust myself than to try to adjust 40,000+ other people.

Over 107 comments and not one of an official member of the D*Con staff confirming anything regarding a change in security. I'm not surprised. Is there anyone I can e-mail about all these concerns?

It's possible, I suppose. I could see if my friend still has the email she sent to the PTB. PM me for contact info.

It's very easy for people who haven't been in that situation to say 'flight back/call out/draw attention to them', but the mind/body doesn't always work like that.

Yes, exactly this! I was just so SHOCKED, like "did that really just happen?" that I didn't yell at the guy or even respond in ANY way. After it was over I even kept posing for photos for a bit, but people could tell that something was wrong. I had been smiling happily, and I'd stopped smiling. As soon as people stopped taking photos I walked over to my husband and told him I needed to leave immediately. It all happened so fast.

I'm sorry that happened to you, as well. It shouldn't have to happen to anyone.

Email contacts lists are on the website. Good luck getting a response! Sincerely! My friend got one response directing her to the people she needed to speak with, including them on the email even, and they never got back to her.

I started attending Dragon*Con in 2009, after years of watching longingly as the pictures popped up on Flickr. Because I'm so new to D*C, I don't have any nostalgia for the "good old days" before the con got too big or whatever. I love that D*C is this huge, this diverse, and having been to other cons including E3, San Diego ComicCon, and BlizzCon out here in southern California, there's really very little I would change about Dragon*Con.

Reading through the comments on this topic, it seems to me that some people have unrealistic expectations of safety. No event that's open to the public, even one that requires a badge to enter, will ever be safe. Expecting it to be safe is just setting yourself up for disaster. Not until you're alone in your hotel room with the door locked behind you should you have any expectation of safety -- and even then, there are precautions that experienced travelers take to ensure their safety.

How many of us would go walking alone, drunk, at 3am through an unfamiliar city? And yet somehow Dragon*Con is supposed to be exempt from the reality that there are assholes in the world? Any basic safety precautions you would use after dark in an unfamiliar location should be used at Dragon*Con -- be aware of your surroundings, travel in a group, have a cellphone on you, etc.

I am in no way trying to blame the victims for their assaults, or deny that there's a problem. Nor am I saying that you shouldn't party at Dragon*Con. Hell, I drink at D*C, stay out late, wear revealing outfits, etc. But I don't get black-out drunk, I never go anywhere alone, and I always build a hidden pocket into even the skimpiest of costumes for my cell phone, room key, credit card, and ID. I have a *great* time, but I also assume my own safety is my responsibility. My friends' safety is my responsibility too, as my safety is their responsibility.

Of course, this isn't a fool-proof guide to not getting assaulted, and I do know that people have been groped and assaulted at Con while still following all the usual safety tips. I just think it's important for us all to be realistic about how much our personal safety is our own responsibility, and how much it is the hotels' or Dragon*Con's responsibility. I'm the only one who can watch out for me 24/7.

"It's sad to watch something change that used to be seen as a second home in the eyes of my boyfriend and I. It's where we met, "
It's where the wife and I honeymooned :P

Out of curiousity... was anyone actually towed? I suspect, as we've seen in the past, that the line of cars extended out into the road, blocking traffic. So the guy was, basically, doing his job and would have been well within his rights to have people towed. (which, I'm assuming, he didn't) But in reality, he was just trying to get a hussle on. See, the reason you got to the front of the line to be yelled at by him as fast as you did is because he yelled at the ten/twenty/hundred people ahead of you in the same manner, as he probably had been for hours. Sadly, it's how it works. If he wasn't there, doing that, the first few cars to pull in would take an hour or two to unload and check in. So, unless cars were actually towed, I find it hard to find fault in what he was doing. Shame he probably got reprimanded for doing a good job.

Now, I completely agree there is always a bad side. That there's always going to be some idiot or what not who ruins it for everyone... (maybe said car guy?) And as I'm sure you know, they come in all shapes and sizes, from hotel employees to congoers. Now... lets look at your example. You've cited this example before, as I remember, from just after last year's con.

But, for clarification's sake, what's your gripe here? The exhibitionism or the endangerment? I'm just curious, what should the bellhop have done? Just say "Miss, you need to get down, that's not safe?" Because, this girl being such a stickler for authority as evidinced by her lack of attire, she would have minded? Tackled her to the ground and forced her to put on underwear? So he can be accused of rape? Try to reason with her (and I'm assuming her friends) and in the meantime, be even later for wherever he's supposed to be so that someone can acccuse him of dragging ass because he hates Congers? For all you know, that picture he took, he immediately sent to hotel security so they could come deal with it, using said photo as evidence, because, you know, that's their job, not his. (probably not what happened, but the point is, you don't know, do you?) Call the police so they can arrest her for indecent exposure (probably not, but maybe)

You know, you could have done most of those. Tried to reason with her, call the police... or middle ground... get D*C security to threaten her with pulling her badge. Did you do any of those, or just seethe in your rightous anger? Maybe you didn't take a picture yourself, but the story is so burned into your mind it seems, you might as well have.

Out of curiousity -again- did the hotel staff actually say "hurry the hell up"? On Sunday night? As I recall, the Marriott was locked down by the police one of those nights. Or maybe the dreaded fire marshall was there ready to fine the hotel for any infraction, and yes, blocking a hallway is an infraction, even if you don't think you were doing that... or... maybe someone in one of the rooms you all were in front of called downstairs to complain about the people loitering in front of their rooms.

I'm not making excuses for the staff, really, I'm not. I'm just saying there's always reasons for things, even if we're not aware of them. They may not always be good reasons, or reasons we agree with, but they are reasons. We want the staff to treat us as princes and princesses when we're there, because we're there on vacation, but they're not. For them, it's a job. So it's a two way street. It's worth remembering that for this weekend, these people are literally trapped by us. I'm sure NO ONE gets Labor Day weekend off in Con hotels. Heck, some of them, especially hotel security and cleaning staff, probably work sixty plus hours from Thursday through Monday. Can you imagine being in House Cleaning and having to go into a room occupied by ten people to clean up after them? But don't worry, they left a tip!... if you count a half eaten pizza a tip. (seriously, people, tip the hotel cleaning staff!)So yeah, they might get frustrated with us, too. They are only human.

You say it's disgusting and professional. I'm not so sure.

I think it was, originally,(most cons are) But sometime ago they "incorporated". There's some interesting history to the con for those who dig it up...

Okay, just from my own observations, so, hardly scientific...

I'd say it's 70/30 split between fratboys/fanboys. Or at least, last year. I don't know, maybe they feed into each other. Inappropriate behavior begets inappropriate behavior...

Now, those guys running around in their underwear without badges? I don't know if they were fratboys, or just come in off the street. We also tend to lump "off the street" with frat boys.

"Who said anyone wanted booze in a line ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE CON?? Geez. I still stand to the fact that that is one retarded idea. I don't care if you like to drink or not. Boozin' up at 2 in the afternoon in a registration line is bound to cause problems."

If people didn't want it, they wouldn't buy it. Sooo... just get people to stop buying it, and hey, problem solved. But the fact that they are selling it, and people are buying it, suggest, y'know, that it's a thing to do to make money. Kinda like selling tickets to a convention.

Listen, if you have drunk ahole next to you in registration line (which hopefully won't be an issue this year with the barcode system) then, you should also have a hundred NOT drunk heroes around as well.

There are things about cons past I would love to return to. I've been going since the early nineties my own self... but truthfully, the alcohol in the registration line isn't something I get worked up over. Maybe I just haven't had the same experiences as others.

*But I do like the idea of hiring extra security. The hotels should most certainly be doing that, and its not like they don't have us trapped in one place! Should be pretty easy to police...

I agree in part with what you're sayingt here. It's always easier to point at the ouitsiders (ironic for us, I know). But I find that it's always easier to police your own, and unfortunately it's the college game goers who have shown themselves to be much more prone to violence than fans.

My husband and I use D*C as our anniversary celebration.

There are only so many precautions we can take as individuals. We can travel in groups and keep our eyes open and drink less, but that doesn't help the woman who's groped on an escalator - where she can't get away - or in the crush coming out of the Hyatt ballrooms - where she can't get away - or in an elevator that's suddenly filled with the wrong guys - where she can't get away. Women were assaulted last year in daylight, in crowds, fully clothed, fully sober, etc. Those women took all the 'necessary' precautions and it wasn't enough.

There's only so much that the average con-goer can do short of not attending, and beyond that we have to rely on the con staff and the hotels to help us out.

Well, lets consider that the rapidly going Dragon Con *is* the majority source of of Hotel $ over that weekend :) Let's also consider that a percentage of the 'invaders' likely won't be purchasing from hotel bars and mini bars, that makes for an expensive party when all you want to do is crash :)

First of all: The car towing situation happened at 10:30 in the morning, when it wasn't crowded at all. They want to know what room you're in and to unpack your car and if you don't want to pay the over-priced amount to park at the hotel, you have to rush to check in, make sure that the bell hops don't completely trash your props and costumes, get BACK in the car, drive to a parking lot, get back to the hotel and get your stuff to your room. Hopefully you have more than just yourself, or this would be crazy.

Secondly: he laughed, stared up and took a picture, saying something under his breath. I assure you, he did NOT act like he wanted it reported. He acted like he wanted to get the girl's room number for a later meetup.

Also, it's not my place to call the police on her, when there is a hotel staff member, whose JOB it is to report actions like that. Like hell I wanted to take a picture. You really think I wanted to see that 5 minutes into the con? Put some fucking clothes on. Unless your a little perved-up guy, what this girl was doing was FAR from attractive.

As for the 2009 Sunday night hall raid; this was because they were going floor-to-floor trying to confiscate alcohol and shut down room parties. Neither of which did we have, or were doing. We were merely conversing. Now I don't agree with them randomly confiscating people's drinks/food (which they were taking BOTH of), but I do agree to them confiscating the booze if someone(s) is belligerent. They were just doing this for the sake of doing it. Whether we were drunk or not, and we obviously weren't, and conceded with no argument for fear of being reprimanded.

Anyway, I totally understand what the hotel staff has to deal with, and like I said, a good percentage of the staff are cordial (especially in the Sheraton), but like you made a point of, there's always bad eggs and they tend to shine out more than anything, especially if you have to deal directly with them. I'm not someone who never leaves a tip, and I've also stayed until Tuesday and have witnessed the huge clean up crew that comes in after all the con-goers leave. EVERYTHING gets hosed down.

The point is, if you're paying A LOT of money to be at a 5-star hotel, ALL the staff should be slightly more superior than that of a La Quinta. But it goes with out saying, that the guests should act a little more reputable too. I know there's horror stories of the disasters some of the rooms have been in. Someone threw a damned flat screen out a window last year! I believe that was an LSU fan, but I digress. I've heard aweful stories from con goers too, and I do feel sorry for those who have to clean up after those who don't act their age. No matter how fancy the hotel, no one should have to clean up fecal matter or projectile vomit -_-.

Sent 2 emails. We shall see.

Keep us posted!

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Security at Dragon*Con 2011

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