Restoring Confidence in Event Security
The recent shooting at the Garlic Festival in California has caused everyone to take a hard look at how safe people can feel when they are attending an event like a concert, fair, parade, or a festival. Teachout Security’s Director of Special Services, Bart Bennett, recently appeared on a local television news program to address these concerns. His message is that security requires everyone’s participation, including the general public.
- When you enter an event, develop a heightened sense of awareness.
- Know where the exits are.
- Be aware of those around you and watch for someone who seems out of place or stands out for some reason.
- Be aware of where identified security personnel or law enforcement personnel are stationed and report anything that seems suspicious.
Safety is always forefront in the minds of event planners. Most venues have barricades that will prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering. The majority of high visibility events held in arenas, halls, stadiums or concerts require patrons to go through metal detectors and have their bags searched prior to entering. Security cameras, fixed and mobile, search the crowd and facial recognition software is often used to find any known bad actors.
At outdoor festivals, security personnel are usually located at strategic points where they have a clear line of sight and can observe the crowds and general areas of interest. Communications channels carry the constant chatter as potential targets are identified and threats are assessed. By moving from one post to the next at intervals, they also give the appearance that there is an active security presence at the event. This provides peace of mind to attendees.
Several months ago, Teachout was tasked with providing crowd control at a parade in West Michigan. Our contingent of experienced and trained officers not only kept the crowds, especially the children, safe from the vehicles in the parade, they were also watchful of any threats in, behind, and above the crowd along the parade route.
Event organizers know that if something happens at an event, not only will there be liability issues, but the general public will just stop coming. That is bad for business. It is also bad for our communities. At Teachout, we want you to feel safe when you attend an event. We are proud to protect the free and open way of life that we enjoy in America. You can be assured that if we are working an event, we are going to be doing everything we can to keep you safe. And even if we’re just another attendee, we are still going to be watching and looking out for you. It’s just who we are.
At Teachout, we’ve got your back.
