All major or large events, music festivals, HM Government and Royal ceremonial events, even villages fetes and town fairs where the public (over 200 at any one time) attend will also come under Martyn’s Law, writes Senior Security Consultant Stewart Brown of Surelock International. Here he offers some Martyn’s Law requirements for events. First, the police’s approach to special and large-scale events (and, he adds, presumably demonstrations and disturbances).
Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) dealing with the security aspects of these major type events would appoint a senior police officer as Security Co-ordinator, at least a couple of months, if not a year before the date, who would be responsible for all intelligence, planning preparation, route security, route searches, movements of the public, monitoring of activities and every other aspect that could be considered, that may affect the correct running of the event.
Forward planning
Forward planning, understanding of any identified risks, full surveillance of the event, checking/searching of all public entering the event or having sufficient manpower watching the crowds. Then on the day, working in the control room with real-time monitoring of all aspects of the event & responding to any & all potential incidents at the time. Forward planning, early preparation coupled with intelligence and experience, then manpower and technical aspects before any major event enables effective security and safety of persons.
Security Co-ordinator- Responsible Person
The Security Co-ordinator was/is responsible to the ‘Gold’ Commander of the police for all preparation work and having in place resources sufficient to react and deal with any likely incident. The security plan was sometimes larger than the actual ‘Operation Order’ for the entire event but is seen as an intrinsic aspect of making sure the event goes ahead without (or with minor) incidents that affect anyone attending. This work is so necessary so that the event takes place without incident that could disrupt the actual event and affect the safety of all attending.
UK Events Industry Changes and now Martyn’s Law requirements for events
This ‘Martyn’s Law’ is expected to cover any and all events that have over 200 persons at any one time being present. This will cover from large village fetes to music festivals like Glastonbury where over 240,000 attend over a four-day period. The owner/operator of the land will be the responsible person under this act and have to consider all aspects of security/ terrorism that may impact the event, then satisfy the Security Industry Authority (SIA) that the Martyn’s Law requirements for the event is in place to keep people safe or reduce the opportunity of activity taking place. This will nearly be an impossible task in some instances and may be too much in thought and organisation for the landowners to consider and may result in the event not taking place.
Would the recent visit of Donald Trump, President of the United States to Scotland be an event under this act?? and be under the Martyn’s Law requirements for events. This is unlikely as the United States of America’s Secret Service would not be divulging their security plan to any organisation or person (not in their inner circle) who does not need to know the movements of POTUS at any one time.
Definition of events
The simple definition of ‘events’ is stated as “something that happens or is regarded as happening, an occurrence, especially one of some importance”. The event security industry, land owners/operators including local authorities as well as HM Government, Royal occasions , charities, fund raisers and large organisations will have to consider all aspects of Martyn’s Law requirements for events, before deciding if an event should take place after April 3, 2027 – this will be a major impact and change the event industry considerably.
What is to happen and trying to help
Have the writers of this Act of Parliament involving Martyn’s Law requirements for events really considered what will need to be done to comply with this new law? At Surelock International Limited we are trying to get some indication from the powers that be HM Government and the Security Industry Authority (SIA), on how we as security consultants and the thousands of businesses/owners/operators of premises can address these very important aspects for the safety of the public.
