Event Security Services
Security
Event Security Services
Event security is a crucial part of any major special event. The security of everyone in attendance, from guests to performers, is of paramount importance. From parking lot security, gate security, visitor assistance, protection of assets and dignitaries your event needs an experienced and well-rounded event security company.
How to Plan Event Security
To learn where to start planning your event security you can also read an article published on SocialTables.com. The article states, “That’s why you must plan your security strategy during the planning process. The types of security you need will depend on the size, scope, location, and type of event you’re planning.”1.
Their articles lists the following as key areas from which you should develop your security and protection plan:
- Know the venue inside and out
- Gauge attendee risk
- Control the crowd
- Assess the potential for large-scale attacks
- Keep communication tight
Don’t Let Unruly Beghavior Ruin Your Show
Troublemakers can potentially buy tickets to your event for the sole purpose of robbing or assaulting your guests. More serious criminals can also come to your event with the intentions of physically harming the entertainers on stage. On the other hand, people who are normally non-violent can become excessively rowdy after drinking too much alcohol or doing drugs. When this happens, a domino effect can happen that can cause total and complete loss of control of the crowd. Having a trained and well-prepared security team is an essential part of any successful event.
The security professionals at SMART Security Pros recently published an article citing reasons you should hire a professional security company. We agree completely with their points and encourage you to read the full article. The top level points they cite include, “Handling Crime, Preventing Crimes, Guarding the Parking Lot, Monitoring everyone who comes in, Controlling the crowd, Meet venue requirements, and Professional training”2.
Unfortunately, any theft, vandalism or bodily injury that occurs during your event is your responsibility. You or your organization could be sued for financial and punitive damages. In extreme situations, you could be charged with criminal negligence. Your best defense against mayhem breaking out at your event is to hire professional event security guards to mitigate, manage, and control problem situations.
Protecting Your Speakers, Performers, Entertainers
Professional security guards can offer a variety of services to protect your entertainers, performers, or speakers. Security personnel can physically secure areas of vulnerability within sny part of the property. These areas include stage entrance and exit points, dressing room entrances, loading docks, and areas around the stage that leave the speakers or performers open to physical attack. Security professionals can also set up a surveillance system that will pick up any unscrupulous activity in front or back of the stage, balcony, or other areas. For dignitaries, including the featured performer, you may also want to hire bodyguards and personal protection teams.
Guest Crowd Control
You will want both uniformed and plain clothes security protection professionals on duty at your event. The uniformed guards will serve as a deterrent, whereas the plain clothes event security guards will be able to blend more easily into the crowd. The mixture of both types of security guards will enable your security protection team to provide a necessary obvious and invisible presence throughout the event. For example, the armed show security professionals can be posted at the gate, while the plain clothes security guards can mix with the crowd and look for hostile situations to diffuse before they get out of hand.
Parking Lot Security
A lot of bad things happen in parking lots such as fights, shootings, drug sales, and vehicle breakins. Parking lot security can patrol the lot before, during, and after an event to provide a presence that can cut down on a lot of criminal activity. Security personnel can also help direct traffic flow which makes the event more enjoyable.
Poor Security Could Be a Financial Disaster
In this day and age, people are very conv=cerned about not only the typical crime in big cities but also terrorist attacks. When people have concerns about personal safety, they simply decide to not attend the event, show, or conference. Even if you have a great security plan you may need to let it be known that you’ve taken prudent measures for guest safety. A terror attack or tragedy elsewhere could make people rething attending your event. In fact, a 2019 Unisys Security Index revealed some startling facts showing how safety concerns cause people to cancel plans to attend events.
The ASIS International website published part of these findings, which included “More than one in five Americans say they have cancelled plans or considered cancelling plans to attend a large-scale public event due to concerns about physical attacks, according to the 2019 Unisys Security Index. A large majority (83 percent) of Americans are concerned about a criminal attack at large-scale events such as concerts or sporting events; 50 percent reported being “extremely” or “very concerned” about physical attacks.”3.
If you’re planning an event, call Manning & Associates to help with planning snd staffing for your event security needs.
FOOTNOTES & CREDITS
- 1 Social Tables, “Event Security 101: Tips & Best Practices to Minimize Your Risk”, December 22, 2017, Available from Social Tables
- 2 Staff, “7 Key Reasons You Should Hire Event Security Guards”, June 7, 2020, Available from SMART Security Pros
- 3 Claire Meyer, “Converging Event Security”, November 1, 2019, Available from ASIS International
- PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by “Pexels”, available at Pixabay
