The Training Intervention Procedures for Servers of Alcohol (TIPS) courses teach bar employees how to identify intoxicated patrons. Any measure that will help curb the number of drunken people on the streets is a positive.

But, every program can be made better.

For a business to comply with the TIPS course, only two employees must attend. Because only two people go to the class, the knowledge-sharing between attendees and their staffs can vary in completeness. Important information may be omitted or not emphasized enough.

The door staff should be included in the TIPS course. Their job is extremely important, and they should be well versed in all types of training.

However, if bouncers attended the course, would that have saved Salvador Peter Serrano? It is highly unlikely, given the way the class is structured.

It does not deal with restraining or removing customers from bars or the property in general. When alcohol is consumed in large amounts, people can act out of character. Special care must be taken to defuse potentially explosive situations before they get out of control.

Each individual has a way of dealing with obnoxious, rowdy or violent people. However, whether their methods are correct or the best method possible is another story.

In light of the Serrano tragedy, State College could be a leader for other college towns by creating a more comprehensive program. It'd be providing a standard that people know would greatly benefit the businesses and the customers.

It would serve as a better defense mechanism for those who are on the door staff. Right now, they have to make a judgment call as to what they should do in tough circumstances. If there was a defined procedure, the workers could act decisively and not have to fear lawsuits.

Bar patrons would not have to worry that some bouncer would just rough them up at the first sign of conflict. All people will understand what the regulations are, making difficult situations easier to handle.

Nobody could have foreseen what transpired in October with Serrano, but now there is a very real example of the life and death situations that the door staff faces.

If another tragedy can be prevented, then there should be no excuse for implementing or improving a program to do so.