campus special event management presentation 2012 iaclea conference

Security Planning & Management

for Campus Special Events

Steven HealyDr. Gary Margolis

© Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC

•About MH&A

•Legal Duties

•Research and Trends

•10 Essential Areas

•Event Management Basics

Agenda


While the precise contours of this duty will vary from state to state, institutions of higher education generally have a legal duty to:

Act reasonably to provide a campus environment that is reasonably safe from foreseeable general criminal activity by students, employees, or third parties

Legal Duties for Special Events


•MH&A researched special event violence on campuses

•Analyzed 20-plus special events over a 5 year period (2005 – 2010)

•Uncovered trends and patterns

Research

Margolis, G., Healy, S., & Shtull, P. (2010): Special event management: Trends in violence on campus


•High profile violent incidents at special events

•Celebratory riots at athletic events

•Disruptive attendees

•Disputes about entry @ closed events

•Fights, shootings, & stabbing during & after events

Campus Special Events


•Often associated with large student parties UConn Spring Weekend

A 20-year-old University of Connecticut student died of head injuries from a fight outside a restaurant during Spring Weekend

JMU block party “Some got in fights when other

partiers accidentally bumped into them, she said. People with blood streaming down their faces and arms rushed past her.”

Fights, Stabbings & Shootings


•Duquesne University (September 2006)

5 students shot following an on-campus party

•Villanova University (November 2007)

Shots fired following a dance on campus

•Florida Atlantic University (April 2008)

Shots fired at an on-campus Spring party



• Texas Southern (July 2009)

6 shot during on-campus event

• Langston University (August 2009)

3 non-students shot following on-campus party

• Diablo Valley College (March 2010)

Shooting following a Rugby match



Potential Lethal Mix

•Students and non-students

•Alcohol and other drugs

•Egos

•Security (Lack of or ill prepared)

Campus Special Events


•Most violent incidents occur in the early morning hours

•Each has a triggering event: argument, fights, anger, vengeance, jealousy, domestic related

•Suspects are consistently male

•Not clear if they all occur at non-school sponsored events, but they all have a link to student access to university space

•Weapon of choice is a firearm

Trends


1.Multi-disciplinary approach

2.Event Pre-planning & Coordination

3.Special Event policies

4.Training for security personnel

5.Staffing

10 Essential Areas


6.Use of students in event staffing

7.Venue Considerations

8.Off-campus events

9.After-action reviews

10.Use of NIMS & ICS framework

10 Essential Areas


•Adopt a team approach to planning and managing special events

•Likely members are:

Campus public safety

Student affairs

Athletics

Risk managers

Others who “have a functional stake in the event”

Students

1. Multi-disciplinary approach


•Planning is a critical phase of event management

•Meet early and often

•Overall goal is to develop an event plan that addresses all aspects of the event

2. Event Pre-planning & Coordination



•Conduct pre-event orientations

•Conduct pre-event review of assignments

•Training

•Identify/mitigate hazards

•Review schedule of event activities


Review •Venue/event diagram •Event specific policies and procedures •Event specific alcohol policies and

procedures •Specific event ticketing and credentialing

policies •Address needs in contracts with talent•Close coordination in & out•External Constituents (local police, public

works, EMS, fire, etc.)



•Thresholds (types, size, triggers, liability)

•Venues (academic, admin, res hall, multipurpose)

•Alcohol/No-Alcohol

•Guests (private/public)

•Access

•Security (type, staffing, costs)

3. Special Event Policies


•Identified as a significant shortfall

•Lack of specialized crowd management training for campus public safety

•Those involved in the wide range of security duties should have training

•Access control, including credential checking, searching, stewarding, etc.

4. Training for Security Personnel


•Crowd management and control, including ejection, etc.

•Patrolling and/or static positions

•Emergency response

•Traffic control

4. Training for Security Personnel


5. Staffing

•Peer security (students or others not considered professionals)

•Contracted security officers or crowd management specialists (also known as event security)

•Police officers in uniform or plain clothes


How to staff•Generally, 1/100 for smaller

events & venues

•As venue size increases, strategic staffing becomes the rule

5. Staffing


Duties include

• Protection of life and property

• Prevention and detection of crime

• Preventing or stopping breaches of the peace

• Traffic regulation (within the legal powers provided by statute.)

• Activation of a contingency plan

5. Staffing


6. Use of Students

• Common for IHEs to use students and they can be used effectively

• Peers can provide a less rigid security profile

• Students must be appropriately trained and knowledgeable of their roles and responsibilities


Role

• Security control at entrances and exits

• Fire watch

• Vehicle control

6. Use of Students


7. Venue Considerations

Is this venue right sized for the event?

• Key points such as entrances and exits

• Will barriers be used, and if so, where and what type?

• VIP and performer areas

• General thoroughfares

• Strategic observation points to monitor the crowd


• Venue selection and limitations

• Pre-event touring, planning and coordination

• Contractual obligations, related policies

• Collaboration with local public safety

• Selection of contract security

8. Off-Campus Events


9. After Action Reviews

• Helpful to conduct “hot-wash” for most major events

• Conduct after-action review for events where incident occurs

Who, what, where, how, why?

What will we do differently next time

Use other incidents as tabletop exercises for your planning group


10. Use of NIMS/ICS

•Planning Tool

•Functional Management

•Tactical Leadership


Event Management Basics•Adjust to crowd demographics

•Anticipate crowd activities and behavior

•Maintain the usability of means of egress

•Make guests aware of their responsibilities

•Observe crowd for potential problems


Event Management Basics

•Monitor flow of crowd during duration of event

•Recognize potential crowd crush

•React/report potential crowd problems

•Identify changing crowd behavior and demeanor


Event Management BasicsPost event protocols•Danger Zone

Ensure adequate staffing and coverage both inside/outside the event

Ensure crowd completely disperses and maintain presence

•Patrol other gathering spaces on campus

•Coordinate with local police


•Student Special Events are Potentially Lethal

•Proper risk assessment & coordination can mitigate potential dangers and liability

Summary


Contact Information

Margolis Healy & Associates

www.margolishealy.com

(866) 817-5817

http://www.margolis-healy.com/

campus special event management presentation 2012 iaclea conference

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