Code Yellow Standard Operating Procedures

Melissa Wornick

Updated December 06, 2024 18:49

Document Information

Purpose/Introduction

Purpose

Code Yellow referrers to a person or people identified as a suspicious person. A suspicious person is someone who is acting inappropriately (against Great Wolf Lodge policies), behaving or doing something out of place, or preforming an illegal act. Other unusual behaviors may include nervousness, nervous glancing, or other signs of mental discomfort/being ill-at-ease. While no one of these behavioral activities is proof that someone is planning to act inappropriately these behaviors can help assess whether someone poses a threat.

Fundamentals

Although emergency situations are rare, we must always be ready. It is important to be able to effectively execute the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) when needed. Although each situation is different, many of the steps are the same and should be considered during the execution of the EAP. There are five major steps that are the fundamental parts of the Emergency Action Plan:

Investigate
Communicate
React
Escalate
Review

Further guidance regarding Emergency Action Plan fundamentals and key terms used throughout this SOP can be found in the Emergency Action Plan Standard Operating Procedures

GUEST REPORT

Investigate

Is the Guest making a claim against another Guest or Pack Member?
What is the Guest claiming occurred?
Gather a description of the alleged offender:
- Age
- Gender
- Descriptive clothing worn
- Activity indicating cause for suspicion
Is there an immediate risk to Pack or Guest Safety?

Communicate

Great Wolf Radio

If a Guest makes a claim about another Guests without a Pack Member witnessing, let the reporting Guest know you will investigate the situation and get back to them. "Thank you for reporting this concern. I want to assure you that we'll take this seriously and investigate. As part of that I'm going to ask for some additional assistance from our team, can you please wait with me while I call them over?" "You are always within your rights to contact law enforcement directly and we will of course cooperate with them as needed. If you'd like us to contact law enforcement, please allow us to investigate further and make that determination."
- Contact the MOD and Security on their channel to come to your location to investigate the allegations.
If the reporting Guest insists law enforcement be contacted right away call MOD/ Security on their channel.
- MOD/Security should advise them the Lodge will conduct an internal investigation to gather more information prior to contacting law enforcement, however, they are within their rights should they wish to independently contact law enforcement.

React

Frontline Pack Members/Supervisors/Managers

Wait in the area for MOD and Security to arrive to meet with the Guest reporting the suspicious behavior.
If the alleged person is within sight do not approach them yourself. Try to keep them within sight or make note of the direction they go. This will be information that Security/MOD will need to know.

Security/MOD

Observe the behavior of the person(s) in question from a distance. If available pull CCTV footage to observe suspected suspicious behavior.
Approach the alleged offender and explain the situation.
Attempt to determine whether / how the incident may have been misinterpreted. See Security Suspicious Person SOP for further guidance.
If the Security Officer/MOD is confident that the actions reported were unintentional or mis-reported and are not harmful to the reporting Guest, they should:
- Let the reporting Guest know the results of the investigation and that the issue has been resolved.
- Ensure the reporting Guest is aware that no further action will be taken at this time and that GWL will not contact law enforcement, but that the Guest is in their right to do so if they still feel so inclined.
If the reported incident is determined to have been unintentional, yet did take place (e.g., accidental contact/touching), alert the alleged offender that, as per policy, GWL may be obligated to contact local law enforcement if the incident is reported a second time.
If Security/MOD determines that the report is correct, and an illegal or inappropriate act has taken place, they should contact law enforcement.

Escalate

MOD should notify their AGM and GM for all Code Yellow Incidents.
- If the Guest needs to be removed from the resort, Ensure the General Manager, Corporate Risk Management, and the RVP are notified after Law Enforcement has been called.

Review

MOD

Work with law enforcement to resolve the situation. If an eviction is warranted, the GM must be notified prior to the eviction and issue notice of the criminal trespass warning.
The MOD should evaluate how the situation impacted Pack Members and/or Guests to determine appropriate next steps.
Verify that a Security Incident Report has been completed. All witness statement should be gathered.
Evaluate any Guest impact and approach to compensation or reallocation of Guests as needed.

Security

Security Pack Members are to complete a Security Report ensuring all supplemental information is collected an included in the report. Examples of these items would be police information, pictures or footage of the incident or witness statements from Pack Members.
CCTV and/or EAVS footage, if available and relevant, should be saved.

Front Line Pack Members

Front line Pack Members involved in the incident should complete a witness statement for Security detailing the situation while the facts are fresh in their memory. This should be complete and collected before the end of their shift that same day.

PACK WITNESS