Live Events & Security Provision
Warm weather and the summer season draw many people to fairs, festivals and outdoor concerts and live events. Facilitators of these types of events have a distinct responsibility to provide a security product that mitigates risk and provides a reasonable level of safety for all.
One method of mitigating risk is to effectively manage (supervise) the security deployment by utilizing the principles associated to a policing “public order model”. The following principles are offered in no specific order or relevance.
Principle #1 – “Always Face The Crowd”.
Security focus (attention) needs to be maintained on the crowd and/or audience, not the entertainment or performer. If security provision is watching the event, they are a part of the event and not in a position to effectively monitor the actions and/or safety needs of the crowd.
Principle #2 – “Use Requests not Commands”.
Security provision needs to consistently utilize effective communications (verbal judo) and ensure that all questions/instructions are provided in the form of a request in lieu of issuing what is perceived to being a command. It is accepted that most people will respond appropriately to a person providing a request and negatively to a person providing them a command.
Principle #3 – “Avoid Poor Language”.
Security provision needs to avoid “poor” language (includes swearing, yelling, etc.) when dealing will all members of the public. Polite responses are expected and legislated (code of conduct) and are the basis for de-escalating a person’s anxiety or crisis level.
Principle #4 – “Maintaining Position”.
Security placement (positioning) is paramount to the safety and success of any event. The integrity of a security position must never be compromised or breached. Security personnel requiring a break must have their position filled prior to leaving their post.
Principle #5 – “Remain Impartial”.
Security provision must always remain neutral and impartial when faced with conflict or adversity. Although security is retained to provide services for a specific client or entity, licensing requires security to perform their duties in a non-partisan fashion.
Principle #6 – “Avoid Drawn-Out Arguments”.
Security provision is required to take reasonable steps to keep crowd members updated and informed with respect to access/egress, delays, weather, etc. It is accepted that a person who is reasonably informed generally demonstrates reasonable behavior and is able to exercise reasonable judgment.
Principle #7 – “Continually Inform The Crowd”.
Security provision is required to take reasonable steps to keep crowd members updated and informed with respect to access/egress, delays, weather, etc. It is accepted that a person who is reasonably informed generally demonstrates reasonable behavior and is able to exercise reasonable judgment.
Principle #8 – “Obtain Guidance Before Arrest”.
Security provision that is required to restrain, detain, remove and/or arrest members of the public need to ensure that all security action is governed and permitted by a lawful process and supported by their clients policies and/or procedures.
Security should be cognizant that:
- Physical engagement (restraint and/or detention) must utilize “control-orientated” techniques that should not be viewed as being aggressive and/or punitive.
- Removal of a patron (audience member) may require suitable documentation and identification of the lawful process behind removal.
- An arrest may deplete security resources until local law enforcement arrives.