The fire in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve reopened a question that cyclically returns in Italy after every tragedy, namely how safe nightclubs really are when they are full, with loud music, low lights and hundreds of people concentrated in the same space? The most accredited reconstructions speak of pyrotechnic effects used in an enclosed environment and of easily flammable materials, with devastating consequences.
A few days after the events, the Ministry of the Interior sent the prefects a directive to intensify controls in public premises, with an immediate focus on fire prevention and emergency management.
Against this backdrop, the issue of who does security on the premises comes back into focus: control officers, police, fire brigade, labour inspectorate. And when the context requires it, also private security and security guards.
What changes after Crans-Montana: more systematic and less episodic controls
The line indicated by the Viminale is clear, prevent it before it happens. The directive calls for the precise verification of certain elements that often, in practice, become the weak point of nightclubs:
- compliance with fire prevention measures
- escape and emergency management
- coherence between structure, materials and installations present
- authorised capacity and actual crowding
- compliance with rules on open flames, stage fires and pyrotechnic effects
On the ground, the request is to convene dedicated meetings of the provincial committees for public order and safety, also involving the fire brigade, labour inspectorate, local police and, if necessary, the administrative police offices of the police headquarters.
A particularly relevant point concerns hybrid venues, i.e. bars and restaurants where entertainment is no longer ancillary (DJ sets, events, evenings), but becomes the heart of the business. Exactly like the Constellation. In these cases, the indication is to avoid shortcuts and to apply rules more consistent with the real level of risk.
From “bouncers” to control officers: roles and limits
When talking about security in discos, the first name that comes to mind is often “bouncer”. In reality, for years the figure has been framed as Control Services Officer (ASC), with requirements, scope and training defined by legislation.
The basic reference is the Decree of the Ministry of the Interior of 6 October 2009, which regulates registration on a prefectural list and establishes selection and training criteria. An aspect that is often ignored is the operational limit: the ASC is a control and prevention figure, not a “private law enforcement agency”. In general, it must operate unarmed and without instruments of physical coercion, with an approach centred on access management, conflict prevention, early warning and cooperation with the authorities.
This is where a practical node comes into play. In modern nightclubs, you don't just manage the door, you manage flows, risks, events, outdoor areas, parking, cash desks, technical spaces. And it is precisely when the complexity grows that it may become necessary to complement the “control” profiles with a real private security service.
The role of the GPG in nightclubs: what a security guard can really do
There Special Guard (GPG) is a different figure from the ASC. The GPG operates within the scope of authorised private security, in a perimeter regulated by Articles 133 and 134 of the TULPS: in short, to carry out surveillance or custody activities for third parties you need a prefectural licence and a precise authorisation system.
The GPG is not a public official and has no police powers. He is a borderline figure working on the protection of goods and persons, but without replacing the state. That said, in nightclubs the GPG can play a useful and concrete role, especially when the security service must also cover:
- surveillance of sensitive areas (secondary entrances, emergency exits, technical areas)
- perimeter control and prevention of intrusion or theft
- cash and valuables handling security support (when provided)
- guarding of outdoor areas and car parks, where critical issues often arise
- coordination with the control room and video surveillance (if present)
- emergency management support, with clear procedures and defined roles
In practice, the GPG does not “do the bouncer”. It does private security, within an organised service, with documented and compatible tasks.
Because after Crans-Montana the demand for security services increases
When controls increase, so does the focus on what really happens on peak nights: capacity, escape routes, staff training, use of stage effects, peak and criticality management.
It is no coincidence that, after the fire, some countries started to introduce more restrictive bans on flames and pyrotechnic effects in enclosed spaces. Stricter measures are also being discussed in Italy, while controls on the territory have been intensified.
In this context, for a manager the question becomes operational: what is the right mix of control officers and private security? The answer varies from venue to venue, but the principle remains the same: reduce risks first, not manage them later.
Training and professionalism: the difference GPG makes
In nightclubs, security is not just physical presence. It is the ability to read situations and prevent escalation, to know procedures, to work as a team, to be able to communicate with staff and authorities, to move within the rules.
For those who want to enter this sector seriously, the path to becoming a Sworn Security Guard is one of the most solid paths in the private security world, because it opens up to structured services and contexts where the demand for professionalism grows as responsibilities increase. If the goal is to work in security with skills that can also be used in complex contexts (events, premises, facilities), starting with the right training is the first “check” to overcome.
FAQ
What is the difference between security guards and control officers?
Control officers (ASC) work in access control and prevention in entertainment venues according to dedicated regulations. The security guard (GPG) works in authorised private security (TULPS), with surveillance and custody tasks.
Can security guards do checks like the police?
No. Security guards are not public officials and have no police powers. They operate in the private sphere and must comply with tasks compatible with the legislation.
What are the authorities monitoring after the Piantedosi directive?
In particular, fire prevention, exodus and emergency management, consistency between structure/materials/facilities, authorised capacity and actual crowding, use of open flames and pyrotechnic effects, as well as combating unauthorised operation.
