The Officer Who Smells of Alcohol
You are a site supervisor at a gated community. At 06:45 your relief officer arrives for the 07:00-15:00 shift. He is 20 minutes early, his uniform is wrinkled, his speech is slightly slurred, and you smell alcohol on his breath. He says he 'had a couple last night' and 'is fine.' He is scheduled to staff the main gate alone, control vehicle access for 300 homes, and respond to medical calls. Your post orders require a fit-for-duty check and say any officer suspected of impairment must be relieved and reported. The client's HOA board meeting is at 09:00 and expects a security briefing from you.
1. What should you do before he takes the post, and what are the safety and liability implications?
Read the worked answer
Do not let him staff the gate. An impaired officer controlling access and responding to emergencies is an unacceptable risk.
Steps:
- Fit-for-duty assessment: Speak privately, observe speech, balance, and behavior, and document objectively. Do not accuse; describe observations.
- Relieve him from duty per post orders and notify your chain of command and HR.
- Arrange safe transport: Do not let him drive if impaired; arrange a ride or a safe waiting area.
- Cover the post: Call a qualified relief or notify the client of a temporary staffing change.
- Document the observations, time, and actions; keep it confidential.
Liability: An impaired officer who causes an injury or property loss exposes the employer to negligence claims (negligent hiring/supervision) and may void insurance. Relieving him protects the public, the client, and him. Handle it as a health/performance matter, not a public spectacle.
2. How do you handle the 09:00 HOA briefing and the confidentiality of the impairment issue?
Read the worked answer
The briefing should cover security operations, not personnel discipline.
- Report on patrol coverage, access control metrics, and any incidents, and confirm the gate is staffed.
- Do not disclose the officer's impairment or medical details to the board; that is confidential personnel information.
- If asked about staffing, state only that a shift change occurred and coverage is maintained.
- Keep the impairment documentation in the confidential file and route it to HR and your supervisor.
Balance transparency about security with privacy for the employee. The client needs assurance of coverage, not gossip.