Share Your Thoughts on Training Topics
The NCS⁴ is assessing the current need for training in crisis communications, public information, and emergency notification. To assist our team in evaluating and prioritizing topics for future curricula, please take the time to complete a short survey by clicking the link below.
As a thank you for completing the survey, you will be entered into a drawing for complimentary access to an NCS⁴ eLearning course of your choice. Your feedback will help prioritize training initiatives and assist the NCS⁴ in providing learning experiences that enhance the safety and security of sports, special events, and mass gatherings. If you have any questions, concerns, or require technical support, please reach out to our training team at NCS4Train@usm.edu. Thank you for all you do!
It's Not Too Late to Join Us in Orlando!
Congratulations to Jeff Stonebreaker, the 2022 Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award Recipient
Jeff Stonebreaker, CSSP, Senior Vice President of Safety and Security for Major League Soccer (MLS), will be presented with the Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award during the 2022 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition on June 28-30 in Orlando. The event is presented annually by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) at The University of Southern Mississippi.
The Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership award recognizes a professional whose career includes multiple achievements and contributions to sport safety and security. The recipient’s service, commitment, ingenuity, and integrity must have elevated the profession to new levels to warrant this prestigious honor. The recipient is selected by a panel of subject matter experts on behalf of the NCS⁴ and awarded annually at the National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition.
“I was both humbled and very appreciative upon learning of this award. I have always believed the job is about bringing people together and forming relationships that allow effective communication,” said Stonebreaker. “I have been a longstanding proponent of a risk-based, intelligence-led model to event safety and security. Getting the right stakeholders to collaborate and have their voices heard is key to a solutions-oriented approach. Event safety and security supports a wide cross-section of deliverables, from broadcast and communications to marketing and guest experience, as well as brand and reputation management.”
He continues, “The goal is to build a team and create a culture committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for players, officials, employees, and fans – from every segment of our community. While policy and process are important, the people are critical and deserve our best efforts. In the end, I do my best to be a good steward of what I have been entrusted with until it is time to pass it along.”
CONFERENCE Agenda HighlightS
Visit the website to view the entire agenda and register now - there's still time!
PRESENTING SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: DATAMINR
A special thanks goes to Dataminr for being the Presenting Sponsor for this year's conference.
Dataminr’s AI platform detects the earliest signals of high-impact events and emerging risks from publicly available data sources, enabling more effective risk mitigation strategies, faster response, and stronger crisis management for organizations across the globe.
Click the button below to visit the Dataminr website and find out more about the products and services they provide.
THANK YOU TO OUR EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS!
NCS⁴ is sold out of booth spaces and sponsorships for this event. Contact Sara Priebe, at 601-266-6858 or sara.priebe@usm.edu to be contacted about the 2023 Conference scheduled for June 27-29 in San Antonio.
NCS⁴ Staffer, Michael Finley, Speaks at SWAT Conference
Michael Finley, NCS⁴ Curriculum Manager, was a guest speaker at the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association (TTPOA) Conference held in Round Rock, TX. The TTPOA is one of the largest SWAT associations in the nation and strives to foster an exchange of ideas and information within SWAT tactics and operations. The 2022 conference boasted over 650 attendees attending fifty-three training classes on SWAT tactics taught by leading industry instructors. Finley is a past TTPOA President and currently serves on the TTPOA Advisory Board.
NCS⁴ LEARN – New e-Learning Platform Launches
The NCS⁴ launched a new eLearning platform, NCS⁴ LEARN, which provides opportunities for individuals and organizations to access asynchronous professional development opportunities. Current offerings include:
- Certified Sports Venue Staff (CSVS) Training
- Crowd Manager Fundamentals
- Senior Leader Course: Sports and Entertainment Security
Please contact us at NCS4Learn@usm.edu if you have any questions or would like to inquire about bulk registration.
NCS⁴ Publishes Patron Screening Guide
The NCS⁴ is proud to release the Venue Managers Guide for Evaluating Patron Screening Solutions. The guide aims to assist venue managers and operators in better understanding patron screening solutions and the operational considerations for deploying patron-screening technology. Incorporated checklists provide a roadmap for reviewing solution documentation, technical specifications, operator needs, capabilities, and detection and operational considerations.
Research Webinar Available
A Research Seminar Series webinar is now available on demand. The seminar “Off the Rails” is led by researchers at the University of West Florida Administration and Law Department, which encompasses legal studies, construction management, sport management, and public administration. In the webinar, presenters address issues related to fan injuries and deaths associated with falling over a railing or falling as a result of a malfunctioning railing. The discussion examines whether the line of site exception of 26 inches is safe, analyzes load force concerns associated with fans leaning against the railing, and offers solutions to concerns regarding railing. Click the link below to watch the webinar.
Now Scheduling Select DHS/FEMA-Funded Training Courses
The NCS⁴ is currently offering four safety and security courses in face-to-face format. Each course is designed to be interactive and allow individuals to become more confident in their ability to identify, prevent, and manage incidents. The key principles that individuals will learn range from risk management, evacuation messaging, threat prioritization, and communication. Each class is being presented in a face-to-face format that requires 8 hours each day for two consecutive days.
You can learn more about each of these courses by visiting the NCS⁴ website or by clicking on one of the following courses below:
- AWR-167: Sport Event Risk Management
- MGT-412: Sport Venue Evacuation and Protective Actions
- MGT-466: Sport and Special Event Enhanced Risk Management and Assessment
- MGT-467: Sport and Special Event Public Information and Emergency Notification
These courses represent a cooperative effort between The University of Southern Mississippi’s National Center for Spectator Sports Security and Safety (USM/NCS⁴) and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service’s National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (TEEX/NERRTC), a member of The Texas A&M University System.
If you are interested in attending or hosting a training course, please email us at NCS4train@usm.edu.
Fundamentals of Crowd Safety Course Offered Online
NCS⁴ and GKStill International have partnered to jointly offer the Fundamentals of Crowd Safety online E-Learning course to address capability gaps in crowd behavior and sciences. Professor Dr. G. Keith Still, Visiting Professor of Crowd Science at University of Suffolk, developed this certified, accredited course. The course offers an 8-hour online interactive experience designed to teach the essential elements of crowd safety and crowd risk analysis. The course is especially valuable to event organizers, as it ensures that those who complete it are compliant with the NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code — specifically, the areas of section 12 of the code that require a venue to provide a crowd manager trained in crowd management techniques for occupancies exceeding 1000.
Upcoming Events Scheduled
Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us! Details coming this fall.
2023 Annual Conference Dates Announced
The 14th annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition will take place June 27-29, 2023, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas. The gathering of top safety and security professionals across multiple disciplines provides a versatile and intimate environment dedicated to innovative technologies, products, services and educational programming. Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us! Full conference details will be released later this year.
U.S. FAA vows 'immediate action' after Capitol security scare
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Congress it has taken "immediate action" to ensure U.S. Capitol Police are aware of unusual aerial events after an April 20 small airplane flight that prompted a security scare. Read more
Champions League chaos: Tear gas fired at Liverpool fans
Riot police fired tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters forced to endure lengthy waits to get into the Champions League final amid logistical chaos and an attempt by UEFA and French authorities to blame overcrowding at turnstiles on people trying to access the stadium with fake tickets on Saturday. Read more
Crowds storm barricades as Canadian rap festival gets out-of-control
Was this past weekend’s Metro Metro festival a success? The answer may depend on who you ask. While surprise performances by rap superstars like Drake and 50 Cent certainly helped to elevate the Montreal festival’s status, simultaneously creating a buzz around town, footage of dangerous behaviour by concertgoers has been making waves online. Read more
Tim McGraw shines in Syracuse, amphitheater increases security after two mass shootings
The 2022 Central New York concert season is officially underway at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview. Country star, Tim McGraw leads off an action-packed summer at the amphitheater, which is expected to host almost two dozen concerts this summer. Read more
Atlanta Pride debates police presence at annual LGBTQ+ parade
Atlanta Pride organizers are asking the city's LGBTQ+ communities whether they’re comfortable with uniformed Atlanta police participating in the popular event’s parade. Today, festival organizers are sending a survey to community members about how the event should engage with police outside of those required to provide security. Read more
As Downtown Mpls Looks To Summer Packed With Events, Officials Say Key To Safety Is In Numbers
City leaders are rolling out the red carpet to get people to visit downtown Minneapolis and enjoy a full summer of events. The next 99 days from Tuesday until Labor Day, 882 scheduled activities and events will welcome people back downtown for the first time in three years. Read more
Green Key weekend sees 77 Safety and Security reports, no arrests
No students were arrested during this year’s Green Key weekend, marking a decrease from 2019’s four arrests and 2018’s 11 arrests, according to Hanover chief of police Charlie Dennis and past reporting by The Dartmouth. Safety and Security received 77 incident reports from Wednesday, May 18 to the morning of Sunday, May 22 — a slight increase from the 70 calls received in 2019 over the same number of days, according to Safety and Security lieutenant Gene Thompson and The Dartmouth. Read more
College sports eye gambling money amid security concerns
The NCAA’s stance against gambling on the sport by its athletes and those working in college athletics is summarized by the slogan: “Don’t bet on it” on posters the association provided to its member schools.“ Read more