SECTION IX SECURITY In light of the many indecent assaults and other inappropriate behavior at Tailhook 91, we reviewed the issue of hotel security as well as the role played by the Tailhook Association. A. Las Vegas Hilton Hotel The Tailhook Association coordinated security requirements directly with the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. The coordination was effected in preparation of each year's symposium. The Hotel Security Department is comprised of a director, various levels of supervisors and approximately 100 security officers. Each of the three shifts needed to provide round- the-clock security is manned by approximately 23 officers. Those officers wear distinctive dark blue uniforms and are normally posted in the hotel's casino and elsewhere within the hotel property. We found that security personnel had extensive knowledge relating to Tailhook 91 and had provided coverage at previous Tailhook conventions. -56 Two security officers are associate members of the Tailhook Association. Hotel management recognized from past experience that additional security officers would be needed on the third floor, pool patio and hallway areas to control crowds and limit damage to hotel property. The additional coverage was achieved by paying overtime to existing security staff. Officers assigned to those duties were not, however, committed exclusively to Tailhook and frequently responded to other calls for assistance throughout the hotel. Twelve hotel security officers identified as having patrolled the third floor area were interviewed. Interviews were conducted with the cooperation of the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. -57 The hotel also provided us copies of the officers' written incident reports and security blotters. From those sources we determined that several Tailhook-related incidents had been reported, including the following: 1. Security officers stopped three aviators from carrying off a wall lamp they had torn from a wall. 2. Security officers broke up a large crowd of aviators who were chanting at a woman in an attempt to encourage the woman to expose her breasts. 3. Security officers stopped an intoxicated naked male who had walked out of room 302 -58 onto the pool patio. They returned him to the room but made no effort to identity the individual or take further action. 4. Security officers responded to incidents involving public urination, physical altercations and aviators expectorating ignited alcohol. No effort was made to identify the individuals involved in those activities. (See Figure 15) Figure 15. Aviator igniting alcohol on pool patio [Unavailable due to graphics limitations] 5. A security officer reported that while he was walking with a woman on the pool patio, the woman was grabbed on the buttocks. The woman verbally confronted her attacker but the security officer, at the woman's request took no action. 6. The most significant incident reported by security related to an intoxicated female in the third floor hallway. According to two of the security officers, they heard a commotion, witnessed a pair of pants being thrown up in the air from a crowd of men in the hallway, and saw the crowd quickly disperse into various squadron suites. They observed a female naked from the waist down and lying on the floor of the hallway. The security officers assisted her and advised the Chairman of the Tailhook Association Committee of the incident. warning him that improper conduct by attendees had to cease or the hotel would he forced to close down all activities in the hallway. 7. The only other assault-related incident reported by hotel security involved two women who had reported they were assaulted in the third floor hallway. -59 The security officers told us the women reported the matter to the Las Vegas Police but had been referred back to hotel security because the women refused to return to the third floor and attempt to identify their attackers. The security officers told us that, excluding the aforenoted incidents, no women reported being assaulted nor did any of the security officers witness any assaults. Relatedly, no victims, with the exception of victim 64, told us they were helped by security during or after their assaults. The security officers did, however, express their belief that their efforts to maintain order and to act effectively had been impaired as a result of code words and hand signals used by the aviators to announce the approach of security officers. Security officers told us they heard radio messages from officers patrolling the third floor advising that gauntlets were forming in the hallway and one security officer defined the gauntlet as men "grabbing women in the hallway." Security officers assigned to the third floor area told us they cleared the hallway whenever they saw that type of activity. Witnesses told us that many assaults occurred in the presence of hotel security staff and those officers failed to act in the absence of a specific complaint by the victims. One witness stated that men lined the hallway against the walls and closed ranks around women attempting to traverse the corridor. The witness observed women being grabbed on the buttocks and being picked up by the crowd. The witness told us he observed "two Hilton Hotel security guards standing against the wall near room 317, who appeared to he just observing the events in the hallway." The witness, who also saw the attack on the 18 year old, as described above, further stated "the security guards made no attempt to come to the assistance of any of the women who were being subjected to the gauntlet" except for the young woman who was partially disrobed. Similarly, another witness told us he witnessed several women being attacked in the gauntlet and that a man in uniform whom he believed to be a hotel security officer, was "watching the gauntlet and doing nothing other than talking on the radio." Yet another witness reported he saw approximately 10 women attacked in the gauntlet over a short period of time. He noted that although the women were protesting their treatment, "There were two security guards or police officers standing there laughing while watching the assaults." Finally, several witnesses reported seeing hotel security officers in the hospitality suites watching strip shows and pornographic movies. One Navy civilian employee noted that he found it ludicrous that hotel security officers chased streakers on the pool patio but did not intervene during the gauntlet. B. Tailhook Association The Tailhook Association maintains a committee to work with hotel staff. In part, they coordinate security issues relating to Tailhook attendees. As agreed between the hotel and the Association, committee members were provided radio pagers by the Association. Pager numbers as well as respective guest room telephone numbers of committee members were furnished to the hotel security staff to ensure that committee members could respond quickly to any problem or situation detected by the hotel security staff. Committee members wore blue shirts imprinted with the Tailhook Association logo. When interviewed, the Tailhook Association committee members generally denied knowledge of any assault and stated they were reasonably effective in controlling third floor activities. Witnesses told us the committee members did not intercede on behalf of the assault victims and were frequently seen watching strip shows in the suites. Hotel security officers told us the committee members were ineffective and did not respond to calls for assistance by the hotel security staff. One hotel security officer told us he overheard a senior Tailhook committee member comment that he was going to turn off his pager and make himself unavailable if inappropriate activity occurred. We found the relationship between the Tailhook Association committee members and the hotel was such that both parties approached the security function simply as an issue of containment. Neither party sought to control improper activities unless severe bodily harm or significant property damage appeared imminent. The attendees paid for damages to hotel property. The general opinion stated by countless witnesses was that, within the confines of the Tailhook convention, the aviators could act with impunity. Notes 56 Tailhook conventions have been held at the Las Vegas Hilton on an annual basis for 18 years. 57 Throughout our investigation, the Hilton Hotel cooperated fully with us in arranging interviews of hotel staff and in providing all required hotel records relating to Tailhook 91. 58 Room 302 served as the VAQ-129 hospitality suite. 59 These are the only two women who stated they had reported their assaults to hotel security.