Good event security is more than just having security officers at the venue, it can be more complex than that. There needs to be extensive communication and coordination that ensures the safety and security of those involved.
When the venue has the right security practices, you can guarantee the safety of both your staff and guests – and also avoid damage to the venue and property. It can also help prevent gate crashers with their unwanted disruptions.
Security at an event is important because it will make sure you are covered in case of:
- Damage to the venue or property
- An injury to a guest
- Troublesome guests
- Crow control
- Oher unexpected incidents
This makes it important for organizers to have a security strategy when planning the event. The type of security you need for the event is going to depend on the location, scope, size, and type of event.
Work with a security firm from the early stages because it makes it easier for them to understand your event and come up with a strategy that works for your budget and needs. Once you find a reliable security firm then, build a long term relationship with them, you could do this by doing some team building activities with them. For more information on this see ‘best team building online’.
Knowing your venue
You need to know your venue well and how ’porous’ it is. These are areas that can allow someone to get inside the venue without going through the entry points. This can be the back door that is meant to be used by designated staff. It can also be an unfenced area that makes it easy for people to get in.
Make sure you note down all the entry points to your venue and make sure your staff knows them.
If you are holding the event outdoors, then you need to have perimeters that show where they start and end. Barricades and fencing can help with that. It is also important to have static guards at points around the perimeter so they can easily deter intruders and prevent them from accessing the venue.
High-risk guests
Another thing you need to consider is if there are any guests or attendees that can pose a heightened security risk. It is hard to do a background check on everyone attending the event, but security personnel should know about high-risk visitors. This will let them have extra measures if needed, to protect the guests and also additional crowd control efforts.
If a performer or guest speaker is associated with a company that has a controversial history, then it increases the risk of protestors or attendees that don’t want any problems or trouble. The security team is going to come up with a strategy for countering these risks, like directing increased security presence in areas that have high risks of protests. They can also provide your guests with close protection.
Crime and suspicious activity
The unfortunate thing with a big crowd is it becomes an easy target for those looking to cause trouble. This is why you need to have good security measures for your private or public events.
Guests at major events have to be checked by a professional security team who have been trained to look for prohibited items and weapons. The security personnel should be fully vetted and have the knowledge and experience when it comes to searching for attendees. This is important because it will help prevent any illegal or forbidden items from getting inside your event.
Before the event, make sure the attendees know that their bags are going to be inspected as a precaution. Make sure you share the list containing items that aren’t allowed into your event.
Staff and security personnel should not just focus on checking bags and using body scanners, they also need to look out for suspicious behaviour.
