Planning and hosting an event can be an exciting venture. But with all the things you need to plan for, to think about, and to decide on, you just can’t afford to forget about security measures.
Event security is crucial, not only to protect the people who will attend your event but also to protect the venue and ensure everything will go as smoothly as possible.
To ensure you are ready to hire the right people and make the right choices, learn how to conduct security for an event.
1. Start by assessing your security risks
To efficiently conduct security for an event, it’s important to assess its security risks first.
Think about your event. Is someone who is considered controversial going to speak or perform? How many people are expected to attend the event? Do these people attract controversy, or could a specific group target them?
You must also consider the security risks of the venue and its surroundings. This will help you figure out your needs in terms of event security.
2. Carefully screen each guest who attends your event
The security staff running your checkpoints must ensure each guest attending your event will be screened.
If only registered attendees can attend, they must present their ID, matching the registration information in your database.
If anyone can attend your event, the guests should go through weapon detection technology. If that is not possible, bag checks and pat-downs could be an option.
3. Run background checks on your security staff
If you need to hire security staff for your event, run background checks on them. You want to be able to rely on trustworthy people who have no malicious intentions and will take their role as members of your event security team seriously.
Of course, you could choose to hire an experienced security team who is used to working together. But if you hire staff who don’t know each other, be sure to introduce them to each other.
And give them a t-shirt or a wristband, to make sure no one who doesn’t belong can pretend to be a member of your security staff.
4. Create an emergency response plan
With the help of your security team, create an emergency response plan that will consider your event’s security risks.
Determine how your security staff would respond to threats like an active shooter. Decide where your staff will meet, how they will communicate with one another, and how they will evacuate the attendees in an emergency.
Develop your emergency response plan and inform your staff before the event.
5. Prevent threats with visible security measures
Although your team needs to be able to respond to threats, it’s even better to prevent them.
This is why all your security measures should be visible to everyone attending your event. Attendees need to know that you took measures to protect them, and people with bad intentions need to know they are not welcome at your event.
Your security team needs to be identified, and your metal detectors and other security devices should be visible.
6. Create security checkpoints
Security checkpoints are a good way to control who can access your event and ensure no one will try to bring concealed weapons or unauthorized items.
Be sure to set up your security checkpoints away from the crowd so people with bad intentions will have no choice but to confront your security staff.
Remember that large crowds tend to attract terrorists and agitators, so avoid creating a dense gathering in a small venue that is too small for it.
7. Keep your Wi-Fi network secure
When learning how to conduct security for an event, it can be easy to forget cybersecurity. But as long as your event features a Wi-Fi network or a database, cyber threats are possible.
To keep your attendees safe, ensure a professional protects your network and database. It’s also a good idea to password-protect your Wi-Fi service and ensure your registered guests are the only ones who can access it.
8. Make sure private events remain private
Finally, if the event you are about to host is not open to the public, keep it a secret. There is no need to advertise it on social media or your website if only a few people will be invited to attend.
When only registered guests know about your event, it becomes much easier to keep unwanted people away from the venue and to prevent threats.
