A full report on the International Sports Security summit in central London on January 19 and 20 will appear in the March print issue of Professional Security. Meanwhile, here is one of the conference speakers.
The use of technology can deliver real security benefit at sports events, but only if properly planned, cost effective and acceptable to athletes, spectators and VIPs.
So said Simon Stringer, Managing Director of QinetiQ’s Security and Intelligence Division, delivered at the International Sport Security Summit in London in January.
Stringer urged event organisers to fully exploit a range of mature and emerging security technologies, but only if technology offered the most appropriate means of addressing a particular security challenge.
What they say
Simon Stringer said: "Security threats are a constant reality for us all and will remain so for at least a generation. Consequently, those charged with public safety at large events must ensure that thinking about security is central to every stage of planning such an event. Technology, when combined with the right people, processes and intelligence, can add real value by helping deliver the required levels of security as effectively as possible. I would never encourage the use of technology for technology’s sake. There may be instances, for example, where the best course of action is to change the way your security personnel are trained and briefed before an event. Alternatively, a simple process change like altering the way spectators are directed into a venue may produce the required result. However, when appropriate, properly applied and deployed technology is what the military refer to as a real force multiplier."
He pointed to the value that certain technologies developed initially for defence purposes can bring to the planning and design stages of sporting events. He said: "The military is well versed at detailed planning for massively complex operations. To ensure preparedness they exploit a variety of tools, such as planning software, 3D modelling and synthetic environments which use highly accurate immersive models against which blast modelling and vulnerability analysis can be conducted. Other technologies and capabilities such as digital mapping, multiple sensor integration and surveillance optimisation models have consistently proven their worth to the armed forces in critical operational situations and these capabilities are increasingly available to civil security operators. Building on its defence technology research has allowed QinetiQ to develop an in-depth understanding of how this technology and science can be applied to the security market and, in this instance, best address the threats and vulnerabilities faced by sport event organisers. With a track record in counter-terrorism and associated projects aimed at protecting the UK’s critical national infrastructure we are excited by the prospect of bringing this expertise to bear in the area of event security."
He concluded that technology also has a role in delivering value for money. He said: "By helping effective planning these security technologies can also provide commercial benefit. For example, the ability to share highly accurate 3D models of an event venue electronically while conducting a CCTV requirement assessment can reduce the amount of time, and therefore money, spent on site visits. This is a vital consideration because even the cleverest technology will prove to be unacceptable if it is not seen to support the business priorities of a major sporting event."
