College Desk Receptionists vs. Drunk Students

[sithanas]

So I'm a night receptionist at a certain university in East Lansing, MI. We had an incident at the desks recently where a (presumably drunk) student wanted to borrow the desk phone to make a call. The receptionist at the time, a rather petite girl, pointed out that there was a public phone less than five feet from the desk and that the desk phone wasn't for public use. Undeterred, the student simply walks around to the side door and barges straight in, grabbing the phone and ignoring the (apoplectic) receptionist.

Deskies are just normal students and so we aren't allowed any kind of weapons whatsoever behind the desks. No firearms, no pepper spray, no knives (though the pepper spray and knives are a don't ask don't tell), et cetera. Were I in her place, I would have put the guy in a nice armlock or (if he kept going) tossed him back out the door - judo comes in handy. But I'm substantially larger than the deskie at the time was.

What to do?

 

[Omni04]

i would report him to campus security ASAP if you havn't done so. I would then petition that they place a lock on the side door if there isn't one there already.

 

[Kevlarman]

Is the desk just that? A desk with no partition? If so, what's a lock on the side door going to accomplish?

 

[HankB]

What to do?

I think you answered your own question when you wrote that "Deskies are just normal students . . ."

Clearly, you have a right and obligation to defend yourself when you are assaulted, but that wasn't the case here. When I was a student, I occasionally worked in the registrar's office, and let me tell you, they didn't pay me NEAR enough get physical with ANYONE over the college's property or policies, particularly if I was "disarmed" by those very policies.

I'd withdraw, and - at most - call the campus cops.

 

[Devonai]

I was a "deskie" for two semesters at Merrimack College, a relatively small college in Massachusetts. I was a hired employee however, not a student. I moved to New Hampshire while I worked there, so my license to carry went bye-bye. After that I carried an Emerson Benchmade folder. I'm also a 5'10", 185 lb male and I carried myself well, too. The few arguments I had were solved simply by me standing up.

Regulating OC spray is indefensible from any argument. Hopefully this young woman will reconsider her self-defense needs or find another part-time job. That drunk guy deserved a face full of spray once he breached that door.

 

[pauli]

hank nailed it.

 

[TallPine]

What about a 2 to 4 cell maglite ...?

But I don't see how the receptionist has any duty to defend the school's phone - defend self only. But how is he/she going to call security while the intruder is grabbing the phone?

 

[Kharn]

"Officer, I honestly dont know where that 2' segment of garden hose came from, but its good that somebody picked it up off the floor, someone could have fallen and gotten hurt!"

Kharn

 

[Working Man]

I think you answered your own question when you wrote that "Deskies are just normal students . . ."

Clearly, you have a right and obligation to defend yourself when you are assaulted, but that wasn't the case here. When I was a student, I occasionally worked in the registrar's office, and let me tell you, they didn't pay me NEAR enough get physical with ANYONE over the college's property or policies, particularly if I was "disarmed" by those very policies.

I'd withdraw, and - at most - call the campus cops.

I agree, let the proper authorities handle it. It is not worth getting injured
over or a possible lawsuit, not to mentioned getting can'ed to keep the
school from getting sued.

Oooo, where's MedGrl this is right up her alley.

 

[sithanas]

i would report him to campus security ASAP if you havn't done so. I would then petition that they place a lock on the side door if there isn't one there already.

Been there done that. Us night receps were informed by the desk supervisors after the fact.

 

[sithanas]

I agree, let the proper authorities handle it. It is not worth getting injured
over or a possible lawsuit, not to mentioned getting can'ed to keep the
school from getting sued.

Oooo, where's MedGrl this is right up her alley.

The thing is, how would I know as a deskie that it's going to stop at the phone? The desk has a pretty good chunk of cash during normal hours, not to mention plenty of attractive items. How do I know that this guy isn't coming around behind the desk to rob me or worse?

Oh, and the doors are closed and locked now during normal hours, but they wouldn't last more than a quarter second under a determined assault... these things are from 1936 for crying out loud.

 

[KriegHund]

A nice hardwood rod or aluminum bat shouldnt be too out of order?


If thats too much to ask, i'de have to say your SOL.

And, of course, this is only for personal defense. There is no reason to inflict harm over a phone call.

 

[sithanas]

Is the desk just that? A desk with no partition? If so, what's a lock on the side door going to accomplish?

On that point, the night desk is literally a table next to the front door so I can take ID and scan in residents/sign in their guests. I have literally no protection from a potential violent threat except for not opening the door. And while the building I live in has a double door, another one I work in has only a single one that you have to open...

 

[Fred Fuller]

I have literally no protection from a potential violent threat except for not opening the door. And while the building I live in has a double door, another one I work in has only a single one that you have to open...
----------------
What to do?
============

So, as I understand it, you are basically being offered up by your school as an appetizer for any genuinely determined violent individual who comes in looking to even the score with an ex, or any modern day Richard Speck looking for subjects for a do-it-yourself anatomy lab ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Speck ), etc.

I think one of the most important life lessons that a person can learn is to NEVER take on anything where a given level responsibility is not accompanied by a commensurate level of authority. Your responsibility is potentially life or death. Your authority should be too.

Quit. Find something else to do.

lpl/nc

 

[sm]

Lee Lapin -

I agree!!

 

[bogie]

Huh?

I can't think of a place that'd be a lot less hazardous than playing desk clerk in a dorm.

And I spent most of my college time in the baddest dorm on campus.

 

[Trebor]

Were I in her place, I would have put the guy in a nice armlock or (if he kept going) tossed him back out the door - judo comes in handy. But I'm substantially larger than the deskie at the time was.

What to do?

Were you in her place, you would have committed assault and battery. I hope the student, drunk or not, would have called the police and attempted to sign a complaint against you.

It's one thing to defend yourself against a real threat. It's another thing to lay your hands on another person because they used a phone they were not supposed to use. Now, if the phone is just a pretext, and they really mean you harm, that's different. From the way you tell the story though, that's not the case here.

You're a hall receptionist. Not a security guard. If you need to defend yourself, do so. But, if all you need to do is get a drunk student thrown out or arrested, call MSU campus DPS and they'll do it for you. Remember, at MSU they are sworn officers with the power of arrest.

 

[Johnny_Yuma]

10 years later

Were I in her place, I would have put the guy in a nice armlock or (if he kept going) tossed him back out the door - judo comes in handy. But I'm substantially larger than the deskie at the time was.

What to do?

when you're either still paying on the lawsuit or changing your colostomy bag, you'll wonder if getting in an unnecessary confrontation it was worth it.

 

[trickyasafox]

she's workstudy. let him use the phone and if she feels inclined right it up. 7 bucks an hour at a work study job istn worth fighting a drunk for. my work study is pretty sweet. i work in a print shop, but not everyone is so lucky

 

[Devonai]

When you're either still paying on the lawsuit or changing your colostomy bag, you'll wonder if getting in an unnecessary confrontation it was worth it.

If I don't know whether that idiot is coming behind the counter to use the phone or to kick my ass then a confrontation is very necessary. Make the wrong guess and you're spitting out your own teeth.

 

[TallPine]

But, if all you need to do is get a drunk student thrown out or arrested, call MSU campus DPS and they'll do it for you.

Right ... while the "drunk student" has the phone ...

 

[Working Man]

The thing is, how would I know as a deskie that it's going to stop at the phone? The desk has a pretty good chunk of cash during normal hours, not to mention plenty of attractive items. How do I know that this guy isn't coming around behind the desk to rob me or worse?

Oh, and the doors are closed and locked now during normal hours, but they wouldn't last more than a quarter second under a determined assault... these things are from 1936 for crying out loud.

True, it may not stop at the phone but are you within the regulations and
your comfort zone to stop them yourself if they want to steal cash or other
items?

Now when it comes to personal safety, that's another thing. Do what you
need to to protect yourself if need be.

 

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

I'd just get another campus job with less opportunity for dealings with drunk or stoned latenight visitors. Consider the bookstore, athletic department, cafeteria, or host of other places. Back when I was in school, they were all minimum wage jobs just to help with school expenses and for a bit of weekend spending money.

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[MedGrl]

If I were in this situation I would back off let him have what he wanted...wheather it be using the phoneor taking the nice shiny things from behind the desk and get his description...and if possible ask him for his Id (you never know how stupid drunk people are...I've seen a cmapus police officer ask someone for their id and thedrunk hands over an id looks at it as the officer is holding it then said "Oh wait a minut. That's my fake." before trying to exchange the fake for her real.):banghead: and if he hands over his id great...get his name. If he doesnt...as soon as he is gone call the cops give them a description of the incident and the guy. If he tries to hurt you physicaly then by all means defend yourself as you see fit. but if all he wants is the phone let him have it...It isn't worth getting hurt over...and besides...student workers don't get paid nearly enough to deal with drunks who are abusive (verbaly or otherwise)

 

[sithanas]

If I don't know whether that idiot is coming behind the counter to use the phone or to kick my ass then a confrontation is very necessary. Make the wrong guess and you're spitting out your own teeth.

My thoughts exactly.

Oh, and I have this job because it pays very well for sitting on my butt and doing nothing. 99 percent of the time nothing ever happens on shift... it's the one percent that makes life interesting.

And amusing, like explaining to a drunk guy why he can't bring his lit tiki torch inside the building.