See also “Teamwork II: The Surveillance Room Team”

Job Descriptions: Surveillance

By Gary L. Powell and Jim Goding

The Surveillance Room is staffed by trained personnel at three levels:

I. Director of Surveillance: Responsibilities

A. Personnel

• 1. Coordinates activities of all staff
• 2. Selects and hires new employees
• 3. Trains staff for Surveillance and Supervisor duties
• 4. Evaluates performance of all employees
• 5. Recommends promotions
• 6. Handles all employee disciplinary actions per company policy
• 7. Coordinates scheduling for normal and special circumstances
• 8. Ensures that Supervisors and staff understand and follow company policies
• 9. Ensures high standards of performance by Supervisors and investigators

B. Casino Management Liaison

• 1. Recommends improvements in procedure
• 2. Reports casino employee evaluations as requested
• 3. Reports policy infractions by employees
• 4. Reports suspicious activity when observed
• 5. Notifies Senior Management of actions taken in cases of cheating, theft, embezzlement
• 6. Ensures cooperation between Casino management and Surveillance

C. Security

• 1. Creates and maintains working rapport with Security Chief
• 2. Trains Surveillance staff to work with Security

D. Daily Functions

• 1. Directs special observations as requested by Casino management, Security or other department heads
• 2. Reviews results of special observations and recommends action accordingly
• 3. Consults with Casino management regarding Gaming violations
• 4. Creates and maintains liaison with Gaming Regulatory authorities, state or local
• 5. Creates and maintains casino employee information files
• 6. Creates and maintains files of Surveillance activities and data
• 7. Reviews and evaluates daily reports by Surveillance staff
• 8. Maintains evidence files of video recordings
• 9. Evaluates daily activities of Surveillance staff
• 10. Creates and maintains liaison with outside Surveillance departments
• 11. Handles daily payroll verification

E. Equipment

• 1. Maintains repair log for Surveillance System
• 2. Ensures proper functioning of equipment
• 3. Coordinates with Engineering for maintenance, repair and upgrade activities

F. Administrative

• 1. Handles quarterly budgets
• 2. Handles office supplies/equipment purchasing
• 3. Handles payroll functions

G. The Director or Manager may delegate functions to Supervisors as required in order to maintain his other functions

II. Surveillance Supervisor Responsibilities

A. Liaison with Casino Management

• 1. Documents procedure infractions
• 2. Documents incidents of theft, etc.
• 3. Conducts or assigns Close Watch or other special surveillance
• 4. Informs Director of special observation requests
• 5. Forwards all reports to Director
• 6. Recommends Close Watch on personnel observed to be acting suspiciously
• 7. Makes proper notifications of Gaming and other violations
• 8. Represents Director in his absence
• 9. Handles communication with Casino management and Security on his shift
• 10. Forwards information as required to Casino management
• 11. Liaison with Gaming Regulatory authorities and law enforcement, as instructed by Director

B. Daily functions

• 1. Arrives early to receive briefing from outgoing shift
• 2. Handles scheduling for his own shift
• 3. Assigns operator duties
• 4. Ensures all reports are complete and understandable
• 5. Recommends personnel for promotion and disciplinary actions
• 6. On the job training on casino operations, equipment and Surveillance activities
• 7. Ensures proper function of equipment
• 8. Briefs incoming shift as required
• 9. Maintains data files on criminal activity, advantage players and procedural infractions
• 10. Other duties as delegated by Director

III. Surveillance Investigator Responsibilities

A. Daily functions

• 1. Arrives sufficiently early for briefing.
• 2. Checks equipment functioning hourly
• 3. Maintains daily shift report
• 4. Notifies Supervisor of suspicious activity, procedure violations
• 5. Observes all areas of casino for procedural infractions and criminal activity
• 6. Knows or learns all gaming procedures, slots, etc.
• 7. Prepares tapes for next shift
• 8. Maintains cleanliness of room and equipment
• 9. Receives periodic on-the-job training
• 10. Maintains familiarity with Gaming laws and regulations, company policies and procedures
• 11. Performs Close Watch as assigned
• 12. Handles other duties as required

Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Jim Goding. All rights reserved. Duplication in any form, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the authors is forbidden, is a violation of the proprietary rights of the authors and is actionable under law.

See also “Teamwork Part II: the Surveillance Room Team.”