Hotel Detective
Encyclopedia
A hotel detective is a security guard
employed by a hotel
. Hotel detectives feature prominently in certain noir fiction, especially in the works of Raymond Chandler
, and are sometimes referred to as "House Dicks". The term "hotel detective" is no longer widely used, as most hotels now employ uniformed security staff concerned only with maintaining order and protecting the guests and staff, and leave any criminal investigations to law enforcement agencies.
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
employed by a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
. Hotel detectives feature prominently in certain noir fiction, especially in the works of Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
, and are sometimes referred to as "House Dicks". The term "hotel detective" is no longer widely used, as most hotels now employ uniformed security staff concerned only with maintaining order and protecting the guests and staff, and leave any criminal investigations to law enforcement agencies.