Casino Surveillance

2022-2023

I worked at the Highest Security Level for the Casino. It involved 5 different passwords to begin work.

I had to memorize them all. My passwords had a lot of eights. Starting some days was a challenge.

The first day they told me it would take 3 years to get comfortable with the work - They told me I was being paid to be snoopy (not creepy).

We were told to be anonymous and blend in. There was no uniform or badge required. No one was to know who we were or when we worked. We came and went at different times than other employees - The long-term employees eventually knew us but they were technically not supposed to.

Picture NASA Control Center.

Low lights - Expensive high-backed office chairs that leaned back perfectly - There was a Huge Wall of Monitors in front of me. I don’t know the exact amount. Let's guess 40 screens.

Then there were 3 workstations at 3 Desks with 2 Computers at each. Every workstation used 4 different apps. At times 3 or 4 people were watching all 257 different cameras (not all at once). We listened and responded to all the Radios on 3 different Channels and all 3 Phones with Control of 2 lines connected to 10 offices and floor stations. We took random outside calls and calls from the Casino Cage and Bank. There were always Cell Phone calls from upper management.

We monitored and used the emergency response systems. The fire alarm and controlled access systems. All entrances were monitored and some entrances required special clearance before we would open the electrical lock

I learned quick ways to say things - Like Code 5 at B38 - Code 11 (ambulance) on site. Communication was often rudely brief and in code. We all understood the curtness.

I became good at multitasking and thinking about several things at once. It was the coordination of talking on the phone while listening to the radio and watching the screen plus writing something else down on your notepad or keyboard.

There were 525 Slots and we used Casino Language to discuss what was going on.

We had 2 Restaurants and Customer Service Center - 2 RV Parks - And some 50 employees who were hired and fired randomly.

We watched 10 Table Games, Craps, Roulette, Progressive Jackpots, Special Drawings, and Sports Betting.

The floor managers would call for observation (eyes)on this or that. We captured video for everything. Jackpots, Cheaters, Professional Gamblers, Thefts, Patrons Passing Counterfeits, Prostitution, Sex on the floor, Sex in cars, Sex under the trees, Girls and Guys Flashing, Drunks and Drink Counts, Medical Emergencies, Bio-Hazards, Deaths, Injuries, Drug Deals, Internal Checks and Perimeter Checks - Monitoring of Summer Pavilion Concerts. These were 1.5k Seat Big-Name Events - We observed the weekly entertainment in the lounge (with dancing) …(Too funny to describe) - Occasionally we would sneak a look at Professional Sports being played on the Casino Televisions.

We covered The Approval of Transactions by Counting Money and Chips as they were being paid out. It was important to ensure employees or patrons were being honest- There was always something in the Main Bank, the Vault, and on the Casino Floor - I saw huge stacks (Bricks) of Bills all at once … Not uncommon to see over a Million Dollars being moved or transported. The Armored Car came frequently.

Most often several of these things were happening at the same time. They are called Details. We were tasked to observe, Capture Video Clips then File them - Written reports were prepared and filed for future Testimony. I never had to appear in Court. Some of the others did.

We did work with the local Law Enforcement and the FBI on certain issues.

Essentially this job involved memorizing all cameras and all locations. Then, using the equipment to get the job done.

I’ve never written all of this down. Now I realize it was a lot - Really good for the Brain - Bad for the Body - Sitting way too much

It was like a fire hose for the first 6 months - Then I felt head above water for the following months - I was just starting to feel comfortable but there was still so much to learn - Every day something new. I loved going to work. I would come home mentally exhausted.

I was just beginning to understand and watch Table Games with accuracy - I helped solve a few issues on the Tables but honestly, Games were my next area of training.

I quit because we bought a little place in Wenatchee and I was gaining too much weight from sitting. It was not good for my health - We didn’t take breaks so they let us eat and drink all the time - The Restaurant Provided 3 Meals a Day for Employees. We ate well but it was still too much.

It was different from my years of Church Work - I never felt it compromised my faith - I was removed from the Bad Spirit of Casino Action - I was totally out of my Comfort Zone but not in a sleazy environment at all - It was more like Law Enforcement - We helped a lot of people and situations - I was the rookie with the opportunity to grow and expand - The other staff became good friends - They often covered for me - What an experience - It was a good job - These positions are hard to find. This has been an amazing season of my life - I loved it