How does technology contribute to the security of public events?

Technology significantly bolsters security at public events through advanced surveillance, access control, and communication systems. High-resolution IP cameras, drones, and facial recognition enhance real-time monitoring, aiding in threat detection. Access control technologies, such as biometric scanners and secured credentials ensure bad actors are kept at bay, while data analytics and AI analyse patterns for anomaly detection. Rapid communication platforms facilitate coordinated responses among security teams and law enforcement, while emergency notification systems keep attendees informed during critical situations. Cybersecurity measures protect digital infrastructure, and smart access management adjusts permission dynamically. Biometric identification enhances identity verification, and mobile apps empower attendees to report incidents. Overall, technology creates a layered security approach, mitigating risks and ensuring the safety of participants in public events. 

Technology increasingly plays a pivotal and comprehensive role in enhancing events management: From heightening safety and security, preventing vandalism and hooliganism, and delivering critical real-time situational awareness to providing traffic and crowd insights, event managers are realising the full scope of their security tech stack for evolving applications. Increasing control, accelerating responsiveness, and democratising data access ensure safety teams can stay ahead of potential challenges. Events, such as the upcoming Paris Olympics, highlight the importance of managing mass attendance across an expansive landscape. By integrating and relying on artificial intelligence (AI) and CCTV technologies, security personnel are empowered with more visibility for faster decision-making and emergency response. These technologies will also support rapid incident analysis both for immediate investigations and long-term strategy improvements to increase ongoing effectiveness. A technology-driven approach ensures a comprehensive safety net that guarantees security and the guest experience, while also balancing the critical role of human security personnel with the responsible use of tools and tactics.

Public safety may be one of the biggest concerns in the security industry today. Over the last two decades, we have had to focus more heavily on improving the safety and security of events, city spaces, and the public in general. From the first body scanner implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to the incorporation of AI technology into video surveillance, new technologies aim to enhance current procedures and systems. AI can lead to new ways of detection, rapid response, and protection in real-time events and environments. The goal of using AI-enhanced security to secure public spaces is needed now more than ever. The security landscape is moving towards a future focused on proactive and active deterrents of threats to public safety. The most exciting part to me is that advancements in AI technology can improve systems already in place, making adoption simple. 

Command and control vehicles bring much-needed technology to public events, which often occur on sites lacking integrated infrastructure and communication systems. Mobile Commands create a robust Security Operations Centre (SOC) onsite, complete with onboard communication systems, video surveillance, drone detection, and real-time situational awareness from social media, local emergency services, weather sensors, and other sources. Events rated a Level 1 or 2 on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) qualify for support from federal and state agencies that provide a Mobile Command presence. However, smaller events often face budget constraints that make access to a top-notch Command and Control vehicle a significant barrier. A new option, “Mobile Command as a Service” (MCaaS), empowers event security teams with badly needed resources they could otherwise not afford. Just as companies invest in fractional jet ownership, MCaaS provides access to a fully equipped, state-of-the-art Mobile Command for a specified number of engagements a year. In this way, technology is helping protect the public at parades, concerts, conventions, sporting events, and other gatherings where bad actors might otherwise exploit vulnerabilities and threaten lives.

A crucial part of securing public events is to raise situational awareness for event operators and law enforcement so they can keep the event going as planned. AI-based crowd detection and people counting are examples of analytics that can help manage large crowds and monitor the flow of people in real-time. Sending automated alerts to security and law enforcement when fire or smoke is detected can prevent damage and injury from becoming widespread. Is a vehicle present in a pedestrian-only area? Getting instant alerts from AI cameras helps validate and prioritise an appropriate response. AI also helps operators search across video streams for persons of interest using specific attributes such as the color of clothes, objects carried or worn, long/short hair, shoe colour, and more. AI-enabled cameras allow security teams to adopt a more proactive posture in response to imminent threats, making them much more efficient and effective when seconds count. 

Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing security at public events. From ticketing to parking management, venues, and communities utilise digital solutions to ensure an enjoyable experience while prioritising safety. This requires communication among multiple stakeholders. The event team, local businesses, government agencies, and first responders work together to create an environment of situational awareness and cohesive response during the event. A unified physical security platform that combines security systems with other event safety solutions plays a fundamental role in ensuring effective collaboration. Teams can use data from the unified platform to gain actionable insights and respond appropriately quickly. By embracing a unified, comprehensive security strategy, security teams can proactively safeguard attendees, assets, and personnel. Thus, they can more effectively foster safe, secure, and memorable public events.

Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing security measures for public events, enabling organisers and security personnel to better protect attendees and respond effectively to any potential threats or emergencies. Gone are the days when event security was solely about gates, guns, and guards. Today, it is imperative to use technology to detect threats ahead of time. You want to be aware of early indicators and threatening chatter. You want to avoid major incidents at the event, and you cannot do any of that without technology. You need to utilise OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) to detect, validate and act on potential threats. Moreover, technology allows you to do site assessments in an expedited fashion. You can look at critical incidents and chatter happening near and around your event location within seconds. Finally, technology allows you to escalate the threats you’ve detected and any other digital investigations to enforcement entities to manage trends and build more predictive insights to future-proof your event protection plan. I see technology as a partner to physical security. The technology identifies the intelligence your security teams need to be ready and equipped to protect event attendees, event principals, and physical buildings. 

The security and safety of today's major sporting events are highly dependent on Radio Frequency Indentification (RFID) solutions for controlling the ticketing and crowd-management experience. Two key learnings emerged from successful HID deployments at the past three FIFA World Cups. The first is the value of going well beyond the ticket itself to include real-time monitoring for crowd-management analytics and post-event continuous-improvement insights. Second, deployment intangibles are increasingly important, including the solution provider's experience in anti-counterfeiting technology, on-site troubleshooting, and managing the growing interconnectedness of today's modern event ticketing processes. The industry's focus is turning to integrated Event Management Platforms (EMPs) that: 1) cover, at minumum, an outer - and inner-perimeter layer at each venue; 2) provide all necessary hardware for secure and smooth traffic flow and a positive fan experience; and 3) support all ticket types including mobile, paper and, in the future, NFC tickets on the secure element of a phone or even a smartwatch.