The Intoxicated Man in the Parking Structure
It is 02:15 in a 6-level parking structure. You are the only guard on shift. A man is slumped against a car on level 4, slurring his words, smelling of alcohol, and holding his keys. He insists he is 'fine to drive' and becomes agitated when you approach. There is no one else around. Your radio works but backup is 20 minutes away. The man stands up, sways, and starts walking toward the driver's door.
1. Identify the legal and safety issues and state your immediate priorities.
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Issues:
- He appears intoxicated and is about to drive - a risk to himself and the public.
- You have no authority to arrest for impaired driving (that is a police power); you cannot lawfully seize his keys by force or physically restrain him for a non-arrestable matter.
- You are alone, with no backup for 20 minutes, and he is agitated - personal safety is a real constraint.
Priorities, in order:
- Call police now - report location, description, plate if visible, and that he is attempting to drive. This is the single most effective action.
- Keep distance and de-escalate. Speak calmly, use his name if known, avoid cornering him. Offer alternatives: 'Let me call you a cab.'
- Do not physically block the car or grab the keys. A shoving match beside a vehicle is how guards get run over.
- Observe and record: vehicle description, plate, direction of travel if he drives off.
Reasoning: Your leverage here is the phone, not your hands. The lawful and safe path is to hand the problem to police while keeping yourself unhurt and the report accurate.
2. He ignores you, gets in, and drives toward the exit ramp. What do you do, and what do you not do?
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Do:
- Note the plate, make, colour, time, and direction.
- Call police immediately with those details; state that an apparently impaired driver is on the road.
- If safe, observe from a distance which way he turns at the exit - that helps police.
Do not:
- Do not step in front of the vehicle, chase it on foot, or attempt to open the door.
- Do not pursue in your own vehicle. Guards are not police and pursuit creates liability and danger.
- Do not physically restrain him at the ramp.
Reasoning: Once he is driving, the risk of a confrontation is far higher than any benefit. Your value is as a precise witness. The report should be factual: what you saw, heard, and smelled, times, and that you called police - not conclusions like 'he was drunk' unless you also describe the observations that led you there.