Your Guide to Planning and Managing Security for Large-Scale Events
Identifying and planning for security threats at your event should be the first order of business.. As the Socialtables blog poignantly states:
“Today, venue threats have shifted from petty crimes and rambunctious conduct to something entirely different. Threats can come from anywhere – terrorist and militant groups, radicalized individuals, random gun, and knife violence, etc.”
Event planners have a legal responsibility to keep their guests safe – and your failure to do so could lead to your organization’s liability in the event of a disaster.
In this guide to large-scale event security, we offer the most important strategies for preventing robberies, physical assaults, mass violence and stampedes. Adhering to these strategies might also provide protection against personal injury lawsuits.
1. Determine and Plan for Event Security Threats
The first thing you should do is get your event team together, ask the following questions, and brainstorm your answers:
Will your event attract rabble-rousers because the media will be there?
Could event hosts, attendees or presenters be a target for violence?
Is there a controversial theme for your event?
Will your event incite a public protest?
What are the specific security vulnerabilities of the event venue? Is it outside and open to the public? Is it inside and – if so – how many escape exits are available?
Is the venue close to a busy road or highway, creating a risk of a pedestrian accident?
Is the walk from the parking area to the event dangerous for any reason?
After answering these questions, identify the strategies and procedures that will limit these risks and dangers as much as possible for your guests.
2. Take Visible Precautions to Prevent Crime
Large gatherings of people always include the threat of robbery, physical assault and mass shootings. Consider these actions to limit the possibility of these types of crimes:
Hire a uniformed security force to monitor the crowd and watch the perimeter of the event space.
Install and monitor security cameras that capture all activity. This may enable your security team to recognize and forestall trouble; if not, you’ll at least have a record of what happened.
Place metal detectors at the entrance of the event.
The more visible you make these measures, the more likely they will prevent the instances from happening in the first place.
3. Create a Checkpoint for Registered Guests Only
Each of your guests should pass through a checkpoint to enter the event. Here, you can ensure that only registered guests can enter the event. Ideally, you will have an accurate guest registry and you should check the identification of each guest who enters. Checking IDs is a skill, so you need to have a staff that is trained to verify IDs.
If you don’t have a guest registry, take a digital photograph of the ID for each person who enters the site – or at the very least write down their names, birthdates and addresses.
Set up the checkpoint several hundred feet from the event to ensure that your security personnel can stop an intruder who breaks through the checkpoint.
4. Make a Plan for Different Emergency Scenarios
Establish an emergency response procedure for all potential scenarios. Teach event staffers the procedures and give each staffer a written copy of them. Ask these questions when drafting your procedures:
How will you respond to a shooter or attacker with a weapon?
Are there safe, lockable, places to direct guests in the event of a mass shooter?
How will guests evacuate in an emergency?
Where will event staffers convene after a disaster?
What will you tell guests in different emergency situations?
Have you prepared emergency procedure notices for guests?
How will you visibly post your emergency procedures and share them with guests?
Have you checked the criminal history and background of all event staffers?
Here are some additional tips for preparing for a mass shooting disaster.
Final Thoughts on Managing Event Security
Adhering to the recommendations above will get you started off on the right track when managing security at a large-scale event. You should also consider dealing with an event security professional to help you safeguard your guests.
At Magic Box @ The Reef, we offer event management services to event planners in the Downtown Los Angeles area. We work with a host of event-planning experts, including the best event security professionals in the area. Visit our website for more information!
Biography
Jeremy Hillpot’s background in consumer-investor fraud litigation provides a unique perspective on a vast array of topics including event production, website technology, investments, startups, cryptocurrencies, and the law. Contact Jeremy at legalwritingFINRA.com or [email protected].
Sources:
https://injury.findlaw.com/accident-injury-law/premises-liability-who-is-responsible.html
https://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Planning-Preparation-Needed-to.html
https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-venues/venue-security-plan/