VenuesNow (08/19/21) Zoltak, James

Venue security expert and Best Crowd Management Vice President Jeff Spoerndle believes venues should extend their security perimeter outside of arenas. "We always encourage venues to reassess security risks based on what's going on in the world today, such as the rising risk of domestic terrorism," he explained. "We encourage them to strategically place security officers and implement security measures in areas with higher risk to deter and prevent incidents — which includes parking lots in obscure areas, unlit or dim walkways and at entry points of facilities." Spoerndle said numerous venues utilize "floating secondary perimeter personnel," or security staff who monitor the outside facility for potential threats as guests wait to be admitted and go through security checks. "With this method, security personnel are able to identify risks sooner and in turn deter the situation and/or direct guests away from the facility more quickly if need be," he noted. Spoerndle said buildings welcoming fans should gauge their risk level, accounting for what has been happening in their particular location, and deploy personnel "in strategic target areas" in and around the venue. He also recommends technology like the latest walk-through threat detectors or artificial intelligence-based guest monitoring systems, plus proactive strategies for quickly curbing inappropriate fan behavior. "It is really critical that not only our staff, being security personnel and also guest services, but also the other team members in the building such as concessionaires, the cleaning staff, other departments in the facility, if they see somebody that's acting up, or acting out of sorts, to detect it and report it," Spoerndle said.

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