Canoe Brook Country Club, located 20 minutes from New York City in Union County, N.J., was founded in 1901 and has a rich history as a family-oriented club with two championship golf courses and an array of sporting facilities and activities. Catering to an active membership of approximately 3,000 men, women and children, the club’s 250-acre campus is bustling year-round with social gatherings and sporting events for members of all ages.
Part of Canoe Brook’s property is adjacent to The Mall at Short Hills, a large upscale shopping complex. Because of its proximity to the mall and a major thoroughfare, the club has experienced isolated security incidents over the years—auto theft, locker room theft, trespassing and a car jacking at the mall—that prompted the club to examine its safety and security measures. Historically, the club’s approach to security emphasized discretion. That philosophy has changed, and the security team now has unique uniforms, identifiable marked vehicles and a visible presence at the club and throughout the grounds. The membership seamlessly embraced this shift in thinking and enjoys a friendly rapport with the security staff.
The Security Team
The club’s 12-14-person security team is comprised of active or retired law enforcement officers, corrections personnel and fire fighters (eight or nine off-season) who report to Richard Bickel, director of security and a standing member of the club’s Security and Safety Committee. Because the club added guest rooms that enable members to be on the grounds overnight, the security team is now a 24/7 presence.
General Manager Albert Costantini, CCM, CCE, notes that melding security and hospitality and providing a safe environment in a friendly, low-key yet thorough manner helps provide peace of mind for Canoe Brook’s members. Although the security team is unarmed, having law enforcement, corrections or fire fighting training and practical experience under their belts enables them to assess risks, implement safety and security measures and provide protection and assistance for the well-being of both members and staff.
Bickel and Costantini outlined some of the measures the club takes to ensure the safety and security of its members, guests and employees:
Entrance and Exit. Bickel says that the 250-acre campus is fenced in and there is one entry point and one exit with a parking gate, but the club looks forward to building a gatehouse in the future where staff can greet members and monitor access. The staff routinely monitors vehicles as they enter and depart and they use a color-coded decal system on vehicles. Additionally, the staff is required to have photo ID badges.
Surveillance System. Canoe Brook Country Club uses a closed-circuit TV system that monitors all points of entry and exit. There are cameras installed in several areas in and around the clubhouse and surrounding buildings that are monitored in the security office. There is a fine line between ensuring members feel safe and having them feel like their privacy is being invaded, so it is important to avoid the perception that members’ and guests’ behavior is being monitored. Cameras are used to protect the staff, members and guests. If, for example, there is suspicion that an employee or member is pilfering inventory, the recorded surveillance footage can be very useful in assisting the management in identifying who is responsible or, better yet, in exonerating innocent parties.
Training and Checks and Balances. Because of the policy to hire only security personnel with experience in law enforcement or the military, the staff is well-equipped to respond to any conceivable safety and security incident at Canoe Brook. Over the years, the team has handled a variety of issues including administering CPR, responding to medical emergencies, dealing with a bear on the golf course, reporting and resolving traffic incidents, handling vandalism and investigating and preventing theft.
The team maintains appropriate certifications and regularly attends pertinent professional development training. Richard Bickel and his staff developed a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan that has been formally adopted by the club as protocol for dealing with various safety and security concerns. Bickel completed an Active Shooter Response training program, which he is integrating into the response plan and will introduce to the team this summer.
Costantini affirms their proactive approach, stating, “As managers of an operation this large in scale, the best preparation method one can apply to remain safe is scenario-based training, not only for the security team but for all club staff. Taking a class is one thing, reacting to situations in a calm and professional manner is altogether different.”
To ensure that the security team doesn’t inadvertently neglect a part of the property, the club installed an electronic guard system that monitors the security staff’s adherence to a scheduled property tour. This electronic key box system confirms the time of the security team’s presence in each area of the property and is monitored by the director. Having checks and balances in place provides an extra layer of protection and confirms that the security team is moving about the property.
Contact/Communications Systems.Costantini and Bickel emphasize that the relationship the club fosters with the local police forces (they are covered by two police departments) and first-responders has been enriching and positive. They’ve instituted a direct contact system with one of the local police departments; the adjacent mall experiences regular shoplifting incidents and the perpetrators often flee the area by coming on to club property. The police department directly contacts the Canoe Brook Security Team to alert them of potential danger and get their assistance in apprehending the suspect. In addition to fostering a spirit of cooperation, it helps to avoid or minimize potential threats to Canoe Brook’s members and guests on the course.
The club is working with a consultant to develop an app that they will use to alert members and employees of emergency situations, security issues or special updates. The app will have the ability to send push notifications for all types of issues, like course rain/frost delays or pool weather-related issues. It will also allow the club to send emergency notifications in the event of any type of security issue to inform members who are either on property or planning to come to the club. Until then, members are apprised as necessary of security initiatives via e-mail blasts, website postings and newsletter articles and are very supportive of the department and the club’s efforts to ensure that everyone enjoys a safe environment. A documented “use of force policy” is in effect and communicating policy, procedure and protocol ensures that members empower the team to employ the necessary means to fulfill their duties.
Canoe Brook Country Club has the utmost respect for law enforcement and first responders. As a community outreach endeavor and a way to thank these members of the community, Costantini began hosting a complimentary “Battle of the Badges” golf outing between the two police departments that service the property. He looks forward to incorporating all emergency response departments from the towns in the next couple of years. Costantini reflects, “Although we truly intended the event to solely be a way to thank our emergency response community, we also have developed a better rapport with these departments. This type of outreach is crucial in developing better relationships between the club and the community.”
Club Trends Summer 2017