Furfright wrapped up this evening, and in it's wake we're left with a
internet petition focusing on removing the Dorsai Irregulars as the convention's security team.
For those who don't know, the Dorsai Irregulars are a closed group of people who bill themselves as event security. The group has
existed since the early 1970's when they began working security at Sci-Fi conventions. Their goal was to provide "experienced fans who could provide security, crowd control, guest escort and other services to conventions, and with knowledge of the norms and customs of fandom, could, in theory, provide these services without the hostility and conflict caused by a clash of cultures between the mundane world and the fannish." The've never really broken out of sci-fi conventions, even today they provide a handful of conventions with their services, most notably for us FurFright, Anthrocon, and Midwest FurFest.
Anyone who's been involved with furry long enough has probably heard several horror stories over the years involving the Dorsai, from members generally being assholes to power tripping nerds with a superiority complex to crossing the line and denying disabled people access to publicly accessible elevators because fursuiters were using them. The group that says they're not
"overbearing Stormtroopers" appears to be anything but. While professional security guards are trained to be professional and calm, there's an overwhelming barrage of reports of Dorsai members being rude, forceful, screaming, yelling, and even
pushing attendees following every furry convention they staff.
Which brings us back to the present. A avalanche of negative reports involving the Dorsai have popped up following FurFright. From
Dragoneer being threatened with arrest for standing near a door, to
Dorsai attempting to act as hotel security (with one reportedly
calling himself the "Hotel Manager", which
happens a lot apparently, and others
attempting to control access into the hotel itself), to physically shoving a photographer, to neglecting to act during one of the most important things a security guard can encounter: a fire alarm going off.
But finally, the thing that really, really irritated me? After all that we had the hotel Fire Alarm go off at 3AM. It was at this time I got to witness just how unprepared the Dorsai were. They had no idea what they were doing, how to do an evacuation, or even how to control a crowd. It was actually embarrassing to watch. The regional manager for the hotel’s security service arrived and agreed that watching them was embarrassing to do.
It's important to note here that the Dorsai cannot legally operate as a security service in Connecticut without having licenses.
Connecticut state statutes require security services (which the Dorsai fulfill the
definition of) and, from what I understand, the individual guards themselves, to be licensed. I highly doubt, at the very least,
all the Dorsai are licensed.
It's also worth noting that the Dorsai aren't paid for their services, they're just given all-expenses-paid trips to the convention, according to their website.
Our "Usual" deal is that all the expenses to get our crew to, from and through your convention are covered. (i.e. memberships, gas money - maybe food, rooms etc.)
It will be interesting to see what happens, as not only are people calling on FurFright to remove the Dorsai, but on Anthrocon as well. The history of the Dorsai starting out at sci-fi cons would lead one to believe they'd have good connections amongst the "old guard" that run Anthrocon. I know Kage has spoken highly of these hired goons in the past, and no doubt will defend them in cases like these.
