Some people just have to flaunt their authority. Especially if they are in uniform. Especially if you are partnered with a service dog, clearly tagged as such, in a public place.
We had our monthly OctopodiCon Tea today, in a site we'd reserved in advance, and notified that we'd have a service animal or two present. One of the staff was present during the entire meeting.
The facility and the people who gave us permission to use the room knew about Itzl, and knew there might be another service dog there (the team didn't show).
We were in a meeting room, there were signs up identifying us as being present - three by the facilities, and one by us.
I arrived early, and was let in by security to set up.
There was no way anyone could fail to note our presence.
And yet -
During the meeting, a different security guard kept coming to the door and peering in. I was at the podium, directing people to the tea and cookies, introducing speakers, having the people in the room introduce themselves, guiding the discussion.
When we broke into the social gabfest, the security officer stayed in the doorway, staring at me and Itzl. Finally, I went over to ask if he needed help.
He points at Itzl and says, "I have to protect the patrons."
I'm puzzled at first. We aren't anywhere near the patrons - we're in a private meeting room with it's own entrance. We'll never see the patrons. Maybe he meant my bubble blowing gun that I was carrying in a holster at my waist?
I pull the gun and show him it's just a bubble blower.
He points at Itzl, and even though Itzl's service tag is clearly visible, he says, "Is that" he pauses for a long time, then finishes "a service animal?"
I answer by saying "Yes. We notified the authoritiies when we reserved this space, and one of the staff is here with us. I'm sure if there was a problem, you would have been notified." That was a wordy yes, I know. But it was still obviously a yes.
Then he says, "I need to see some ID."
I shake my head and say, "The ADA specifically says otherwise. You can ask for vaccination papers, you can ask what services my partner provides, you can ask if he's a service animal. I don't have to answer those questions to you if I've already cleared everything with your boss. What you are doing is petty harrasment and I'll be happy to ask the staff member in this room to come talk to you."
"I'm just doing my job." he says.
"No, you're not. Your job is to contact your supervisor and ask them before you challenge me. Your job is to read the reports of previous security personnel, the one who unlocked the doors and let me in. You either did neither or chose to ignore them to confront and challenge me."
He backs out of the doorway and I go back to the socializing. No one noticed the discussion at the door. That's good because they didn't need to deal with that.
After the meeting as I thanked the staffer, I mentioned that Security was upset about Itzl.
She asked if he'd given me problems. I just told her he seemed unaware of ADA regulations regarding service animals and perhaps a refresher course might be in order. I'm pretty sure she'll take care of things.
But I do get rather tired of security guards thinking they have the right to not find out the facts before they confront people. All that time he spent loitering in the doorway could have been used to find out. It wasn't a secret.
And what was he going to do, anyway? Kick us out? With a staff member present?