Restroom Police
November 1, 2016 6:56 AM Subscribe
How does one go about policing public restroom "fecal vandalism"?
I'm on the board of our local soccer association. We have a very nice soccer complex that includes a building with a concession stand and restrooms. We have what appears to be a single individual defecating in places other than the toilet, mostly on the wall or the floor in the furthest stall. The restrooms are cleaned by volunteers and this ahem... crappy situation is not something we want anybody to go through let alone somebody volunteering their time with our organization. This has happened 6 times this season we have attempted to narrow it down by time of day and teams playing but there is very broad overlap. We have approximately 700 players and spectators come through on a given Saturday.
I need ideas on how to put an end to this fecal fiasco.
I'm on the board of our local soccer association. We have a very nice soccer complex that includes a building with a concession stand and restrooms. We have what appears to be a single individual defecating in places other than the toilet, mostly on the wall or the floor in the furthest stall. The restrooms are cleaned by volunteers and this ahem... crappy situation is not something we want anybody to go through let alone somebody volunteering their time with our organization. This has happened 6 times this season we have attempted to narrow it down by time of day and teams playing but there is very broad overlap. We have approximately 700 players and spectators come through on a given Saturday.
I need ideas on how to put an end to this fecal fiasco.
Although I am not sure I would do it, you could put a security camera OUTSIDE the bathroom that records everyone going in. Then have someone check the bathroom every half hour or so. Then start looking for patterns of who went in when the shit hit the fan stall.
posted by AugustWest at 7:22 AM on November 1, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by AugustWest at 7:22 AM on November 1, 2016 [13 favorites]
There was a study some years ago that we are more honest when we think we are being watched even when the "watching" comes from simple cartoon "eyes" which, if true, really makes you question how any of us can use our brains to vote for president...but, I digress. Consider a sign with cartoon eyes on it and the message, "Please do not soil or vandalize this bathroom." You might have some smaller clarifying text that event volunteers are in charge of cleaning and re-setting the bathroom after events and dealing with additional messes is demoralizing and frustrating. Then direct people to please alert a volunteer if the bathroom needs attention.
posted by amanda at 7:31 AM on November 1, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by amanda at 7:31 AM on November 1, 2016 [12 favorites]
I don't know if there is any legal issues with my plan but here goes.
Someone does a very bland appearing, legal notice type one sheet poster: "By depositing solid excretory product (i.e. feces) any where other than proper receptacle on these premises (i.e. toilet), you are hereby permitting collection of body fluids including, but not limited to, urine, blood, feces for DNA processing for identification purposes of criminals partaking in misdemeanor littering by way of bodily fluid..." etc. (Someone that knows some legalese could write it way better than me)
This actually probably would cause a huge uproar used in this venue: parents and privacy, etc. But being that I used to have to clean bathrooms as part of my job a couple times I used to want to make one of these and put one up! It might work in a bar or a dorm bathroom, but would probably not end well in this situation.
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:32 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Someone does a very bland appearing, legal notice type one sheet poster: "By depositing solid excretory product (i.e. feces) any where other than proper receptacle on these premises (i.e. toilet), you are hereby permitting collection of body fluids including, but not limited to, urine, blood, feces for DNA processing for identification purposes of criminals partaking in misdemeanor littering by way of bodily fluid..." etc. (Someone that knows some legalese could write it way better than me)
This actually probably would cause a huge uproar used in this venue: parents and privacy, etc. But being that I used to have to clean bathrooms as part of my job a couple times I used to want to make one of these and put one up! It might work in a bar or a dorm bathroom, but would probably not end well in this situation.
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:32 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
My first guess for the cause of the vandalism is "wild toddler," but I could be wrong.
I've heard that changing a colostomy bag that's become pressurized with intestinal gas can sometimes cause... spray patterns. And that it can be difficult to clean up the results using just toilet paper, especially if it's the budget kind more common to public facilities. If the sinks are equipped with hand dryers and not paper towels, there may not be any real option for someone to clean up this kind of accident by themselves, and often times, embarrassment keeps them from requesting immediate help.
Is the stall on the end that this happens in the larger accessibility style? It may be doing someone a disservice to assume malice.
posted by radwolf76 at 8:19 AM on November 1, 2016 [7 favorites]
I've heard that changing a colostomy bag that's become pressurized with intestinal gas can sometimes cause... spray patterns. And that it can be difficult to clean up the results using just toilet paper, especially if it's the budget kind more common to public facilities. If the sinks are equipped with hand dryers and not paper towels, there may not be any real option for someone to clean up this kind of accident by themselves, and often times, embarrassment keeps them from requesting immediate help.
Is the stall on the end that this happens in the larger accessibility style? It may be doing someone a disservice to assume malice.
posted by radwolf76 at 8:19 AM on November 1, 2016 [7 favorites]
700 people is a lot of people, a professional service is probably a great idea. A small service fee to get really well cleaned bathrooms is very reasonable.
I would also put up a security camera to monitor the entrances of the bathrooms and have someone check the status of the bathrooms every hour or half hour as suggested above to narrow down the pool of possibles. You may find that it's someone who needs help with a medical issue as above, but you may also find that it's someone who is just being a total dickhead, or someone who needs help otherwise. Approaching the situation with compassion in mind before anything else is probably advisable.
If you have a sign-in sheet on the door for when the bathroom is checked, it might serve as the "eyes" noted above an diminish the behavior if it really is malicious. You can also post signs that say something more benign, such as "These bathrooms are monitored for cleanliness every [timeframe]. If you find the bathroom is not in a satisfactory condition please report it to [wherever that's appropriate]."
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:18 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
I would also put up a security camera to monitor the entrances of the bathrooms and have someone check the status of the bathrooms every hour or half hour as suggested above to narrow down the pool of possibles. You may find that it's someone who needs help with a medical issue as above, but you may also find that it's someone who is just being a total dickhead, or someone who needs help otherwise. Approaching the situation with compassion in mind before anything else is probably advisable.
If you have a sign-in sheet on the door for when the bathroom is checked, it might serve as the "eyes" noted above an diminish the behavior if it really is malicious. You can also post signs that say something more benign, such as "These bathrooms are monitored for cleanliness every [timeframe]. If you find the bathroom is not in a satisfactory condition please report it to [wherever that's appropriate]."
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:18 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
I don't really see how a security camera would help, since surely you can't put it right there in the stalls. You could get a camera outside aimed at people coming and going, but since it could be anyone from an out of control toddler to a rude teenager to someone with an invisible medical issue, I don't know how a camera would help you narrow it down further than you already have using schedules and team rosters.
Assuming that it could be something that is outside of the person's control, or someone too young to make the connection between seeing a security camera on the premises and behaving themselves in a toilet stall where there are obviously not security cameras, it seems pointless even on a "morality reminder" level.
Just hire a cleaning service.
posted by Sara C. at 9:39 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Assuming that it could be something that is outside of the person's control, or someone too young to make the connection between seeing a security camera on the premises and behaving themselves in a toilet stall where there are obviously not security cameras, it seems pointless even on a "morality reminder" level.
Just hire a cleaning service.
posted by Sara C. at 9:39 AM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Nthing the hiring of a service. Short of assigning a volunteer to sit inside the restroom (a la the old school attendant who hands you a towel) and observe each person's entry and exit, what can you do that will have true, lasting impact? And of course you are not going to do that.. no one wants that job, I don't care how dedicated your volunteer base is.
So if you can't prevent it, you can only recover from it each time. Hiring a professional service to take that worry away is well worth the money IMO.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 10:18 AM on November 1, 2016
So if you can't prevent it, you can only recover from it each time. Hiring a professional service to take that worry away is well worth the money IMO.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 10:18 AM on November 1, 2016
My first guess for the cause of the vandalism is "wild toddler," but I could be wrong.
I've worked in two different badge-controlled offices where this has occurred. So my first guess would not be toddler. Although the colostomy bag explanation is a new one on me, and it could make sense depending on how the mess looks.
When it occurred in the building I was managing I closed the restrooms for three days and set up porta potties in the parking lot, with a strongly worded email to the employees. My goal with the email was so that they the employees would police themselves / each other. I didn't want to get involved in policing. We already had a paid day porter on site and he was already being treated with not as much respect as he deserved, no way was I going to tolerate that nonsense on his behalf.
It's a different issue though when you have kids on-site, and it's not reasonable to close the restrooms under those circumstances.
I think the idea of hiring the service and openly passing the cost along as commented above is a good one.
posted by vignettist at 10:47 AM on November 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've worked in two different badge-controlled offices where this has occurred. So my first guess would not be toddler. Although the colostomy bag explanation is a new one on me, and it could make sense depending on how the mess looks.
When it occurred in the building I was managing I closed the restrooms for three days and set up porta potties in the parking lot, with a strongly worded email to the employees. My goal with the email was so that they the employees would police themselves / each other. I didn't want to get involved in policing. We already had a paid day porter on site and he was already being treated with not as much respect as he deserved, no way was I going to tolerate that nonsense on his behalf.
It's a different issue though when you have kids on-site, and it's not reasonable to close the restrooms under those circumstances.
I think the idea of hiring the service and openly passing the cost along as commented above is a good one.
posted by vignettist at 10:47 AM on November 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Years and years ago, I worked in property management for a fifty-six story office building.
The call that still makes me shudder (so, warning - here's a grossness alert if you quease easily): an office manager on a multi-tenant floor reporting that one of her male employees had just returned from the floor's men's room with a horrifying discovery.
As he was washing his hands, he pumped soap into his hand. But the soap was... warm. And very watery. And, as he looked under the counter, he discovered that it wasn't actually soap. It was urine.
And when we removed the soap reservoir, it wasn't just urine in there.
This disgusting anomaly happened with a whole slew of day porters, who did nothing but check and restock restrooms and keep the common areas and elevators tidy.
This was a Class-A± office building.
This can happen anywhere. I absolutely, definitely recommend hiring a restroom attendant. This person is befouling your restroom despite foot traffic; I doubt that a sign will curb the behavior.
You guys are getting notified that the restroom is a mess, so putting up a sign with a cleaning schedule (which just tells your rogue pooper when he's good to... go) and a request for urgent cleaning happens only after exposure to the nasty and bacterial fa(e)ct.
Definitely be proactive; get an attendant and up your facility and/or player registration fees. And maybe exterior cameras.
(I would bet this is a teen.)
posted by younggreenanne at 12:33 PM on November 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
The call that still makes me shudder (so, warning - here's a grossness alert if you quease easily): an office manager on a multi-tenant floor reporting that one of her male employees had just returned from the floor's men's room with a horrifying discovery.
As he was washing his hands, he pumped soap into his hand. But the soap was... warm. And very watery. And, as he looked under the counter, he discovered that it wasn't actually soap. It was urine.
And when we removed the soap reservoir, it wasn't just urine in there.
This disgusting anomaly happened with a whole slew of day porters, who did nothing but check and restock restrooms and keep the common areas and elevators tidy.
This was a Class-A± office building.
This can happen anywhere. I absolutely, definitely recommend hiring a restroom attendant. This person is befouling your restroom despite foot traffic; I doubt that a sign will curb the behavior.
You guys are getting notified that the restroom is a mess, so putting up a sign with a cleaning schedule (which just tells your rogue pooper when he's good to... go) and a request for urgent cleaning happens only after exposure to the nasty and bacterial fa(e)ct.
Definitely be proactive; get an attendant and up your facility and/or player registration fees. And maybe exterior cameras.
(I would bet this is a teen.)
posted by younggreenanne at 12:33 PM on November 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
When a similar situation occurred at a public facility near me, we were told that that's often a sign of abuse. Fyi.
Maybe approach it from "How can we get this person the help they need?"
Maybe post a note: Dear person who's smearing... it's thing, google "scatolia". If you'ld like, we can get you help, call ###-###-####.
Maybe post a volunteer inside the restroom?
Put a copy of "Everyone Poops" in the stall?
This post covers a lot of possibilities:
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2015/04/27/6-facts-about-fecal-smearing-that-you-need-to-know/
posted by at at 12:42 PM on November 1, 2016
Maybe approach it from "How can we get this person the help they need?"
Maybe post a note: Dear person who's smearing... it's thing, google "scatolia". If you'ld like, we can get you help, call ###-###-####.
Maybe post a volunteer inside the restroom?
Put a copy of "Everyone Poops" in the stall?
This post covers a lot of possibilities:
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2015/04/27/6-facts-about-fecal-smearing-that-you-need-to-know/
posted by at at 12:42 PM on November 1, 2016
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You then pass the cost on to the players with a service charge at next season's registration. Clearly label it as a "restroom maintenance fee" and explain the reasons to anyone and everyone that asks. One soiled toilet stall out of 2-3 in a bathroom severely reduces the availability for everyone else and creates other hazards (think of the guy that clogs the toilet with paper and floods the entire bathroom).
If it's as many people as you say, the cost shouldn't be more than few dollars per person I would think. I could be wrong, though.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:13 AM on November 1, 2016 [17 favorites]