NCS⁴ NEWS eNewsletter | June 6, 2024

National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

The NCS⁴ invites you to attend the 15th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition on July 9–11 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The 2024 conference theme is Make It Matter, providing our industry friends and partners an opportunity to explore how we can transform ideas into tangible, lasting change. In a rapidly evolving world where innovation and change are the norm, the true measure of progress lies in the ability to turn ideas into meaningful impact.

The conference will offer dynamic programming, solution provider engagement, and opportunities to network with fellow professionals. This highly regarded gathering of sports safety and security professionals is an opportune time to share ideas, tools, and proven strategies to help advance the industry.

Rodriguez Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations, Mike Rodriguez, former Senior Advisor to the Executive Staff of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), who will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes the long-term accomplishments and contributions of an individual who has earned the respect and admiration of professional colleagues in the sports safety and security community. The award was developed to commemorate exemplary talents and contributions demonstrated by the nominee’s dedication, loyalty, ability, and integrity. The award is sponsored by Meridian Rapid Defense Group, which provides SAFETY Act Certified barriers for major sporting events across the U.S.

Wiswesser Awarded Champion of Change Award

Congratulations to Bill Wiswesser, Senior Vice President of Facilities and Stadium General Manager at FC Cincinnati, who will be presented with the Champion of Change Award. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated their ability and commitment to bring about positive change in the sports safety and security industry. Through progressive leadership, this individual’s achievements have made a difference in organizational effectiveness and led the organization forward into the future.

Agenda Highlights

Conference programming will include general sessions with panel discussions on topics relevant to today’s ever-changing security landscape, while breakout sessions allow participants to engage with panelists and attendees on key issues.

This session will provide attendees with interactive participation in a threat assessment team case study. Attendees will understand the difference between violence and aggression, the human behaviors associated with both, and build a road map to breaking down silos and building a threat assessment and management system to best serve their organizations.

The safety and security of celebrities and student-athletes on campus and beyond pose unique challenges in today's society. From managing public visibility to mitigating potential threats, a comprehensive approach is essential.

Get ready for a fun-filled, highly interactive workshop that will have you thinking quickly on your feet while interacting, laughing, and learning along with your fellow attendees. Earn trust, become more creative, embrace spontaneity, use body language, lead with acceptance, and actively listen! Nice, and become a master communicator!

This workshop delves into opportunistic training, exploring how sports and special event organizations can create circumstances to enhance their staff's knowledge and capabilities.

Additional topics slated for the conference include:

• Building Spectator Security for Everyone
• Security Planning for the One-Off Event: Concerts and VIP Movements
• Threat Intelligence Capability of Sports Leagues
• GOOOOOAL! Security Planning for the FIFA World Cup 2026 ™️
• Using the Socratic Method and a Bird's Eye View to Focus Security Efforts
• How to Effectively Test Your Security Operations Through Red Team Assessments, and more!

In addition to keynote speakers, an awards luncheon, interactive panel discussions, and breakout sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to explore emerging technologies and network with peers during the conference. A social reception planned for the event’s first evening allows practitioners, industry partners, and exhibitors to gather and network with friends and colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.

Registration is $650 for NCS⁴ Connect members and $700 for non-members.

REGISTERING A GROUP?

Save $50 off each attendee registration when registering three or more people from the same organization. Discount will be automatically applied when applicable. *Cannot be combined with the member discount. *Does not apply to Private Sector Attendee registration or Exhibitors/Sponsors.

NCS⁴ CONNECT MEMBER DISCOUNT

NCS⁴ Connect Members receive a discount on conference attendee registration fees. If you are a current member, contact Sara Priebe for the conference discount code at sara.priebe@usm.edu. To become a member of NCS⁴ Connect, click here.

register by tomorrow, June 7 to guarantee your spot

Thank you to our exhibitors and sponsors

We still have a few booth spaces and sponsorships available. Please contact Sara Priebe at 601-266-6858 or sara.priebe@usm.edu for information.

NCS⁴ Staff News

THE NCS⁴ Welcomes new staff member

Welcome Roger Swartz to the NCS⁴ team. Roger will be serving as the Senior Training Manager; in this role, he will provide oversight for the DHS/FEMA training courses offered through NCS⁴. These duties include course and instructor scheduling, ensuring all targets are met, and maintaining the quality of each delivery.

In addition to his role at the NCS⁴, Swartz has served in the United States Coast Guard and United States Air Force since 2001, with a career focused on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear operations. Swartz has a multi-disciplinary background in public safety and emergency management, operating at the Tribal, State, and Federal levels. Swartz has conducted organizational planning to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from a variety of natural and man-made disasters as well as developed and presented training supporting command and control, emergency operations, and HAZMAT/weapons of mass destruction response. Operational highlights include Operation Iraqi Freedom, Hurricane Katrina, Operation Enduring Freedom, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the COVID-19 response, and Hurricane Zeta.

Dr. Brandon Allen and Dr. Stacey Hall were featured in ASIS International Security Management Magazine

Negative fan behavior. Weather issues. Cyberattacks. Rogue drones. Security incidents at sporting events are impacting athletes, fans, and stadium staff, as well as making headlines in the media.

Other incidents, such as a crowd crush at a white-out game at Penn State and sustained injuries from a lightning strike at a UCF game, are also concerning. National news of active shooters, along with the constant threat of terrorism, accentuate the importance of preparedness.

Dr. Stacey Hall featured in Mississippi Business Journal

In the article, Dr. Hall answers questions that allow readers of the Mississippi Business Journal to get a better understanding of the work that NCS⁴ does, as well as its rich history in sport security.

Innovation 2 Market (I2M) Patent Webinar: Protective Structure and System Technologies

ATTENTION SOLUTION PARTNERS

Join I2M on Monday, June 17, from 2:30-3:30 CT. This webinar provides insights into U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) innovations and their applications in government and commercial markets. Many have been used at major events like the 2023 NFL Draft, the 2024 Super Bowl, and the 2024 Indianapolis 500.

NCS⁴ Conducts Final Pilot Delivery For New Course

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security conducted the final pilot delivery of the Sport and Special Event Staff Training and Development course at Duke University. This exciting new course brings together commercial facilities personnel, first responders, and government agencies to improve safety and security training programs for sports and special events. We want to thank everyone who participated and look forward to offering the course this fall.

This course represents 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 - TEEX National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (TEEX/NERRTC), a member of The Texas A&M University System.

New eLearning Course Released

The NCS⁴ is pleased to announce the release of the Frontline Staff Foundational Skills course. This video-based training introduces frontline staff members to the skills necessary for providing guests with a safe and enjoyable experience. For additional details or to enroll your team, contact our learning management team at NCS4Learn@usm.edu.

NCS⁴ eLearning Options

The NCS⁴ eLearning platform, NCS⁴ LEARN, provides opportunities for individuals and organizations to access asynchronous professional development opportunities. Current offerings include the following:

• NEW! Frontline Staff Foundational Skills
• Venue Staff Training
• Crowd Manager Fundamentals
• Senior Leader Course: Sports and Entertainment Security

Please visit the website or contact us at NCS4Learn@usm.edu if you have any questions or would like to inquire about bulk registration.

Click one of the links above or the button below for details or to register.

The NCS⁴ is the only organization that offers a certification recognizing expertise in sport security management. Earning the Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) designation sets you apart from other professionals and highlights your dedication to remaining current with industry trends. Professionals in the sports security industry need to have a firm grasp of public safety measures and understand how to apply those measures in the unique environments created by sports venues and events. The CSSP certification validates expertise in the following domains:

• Business and Facility Management
• Emergency Planning
• Emergency Management
• Legal and Regulatory
• Crowd Management
• Security Principles and Practice

The CSSP certification is awarded to individuals who meet experience, education, and professional reference criteria and pass an exam relevant to sports safety and security management. It is maintained through ongoing continuing education and industry contribution requirements every three years.

TARGET AUDIENCE

• Venue/Event Security Directors/ManagersVenue/Event Operations Directors/Managers
• Law Enforcement
• Emergency Managers
• Private Security Practitioners
• Fire/HAZMAT
• EMS
• Other Sports Safety and Security Leaders

BENEFITS

• Expand security knowledge and experience
• Strengthen relationships with peers
• Broaden career opportunities
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional development

IMPORTANT LINKS

• CSSP Application Process
• Senior Leader Course: Sports and Entertainment Security
• See the CSSP Candidate Handbook for eligibility, application, exam preparation, and recertification details.

For more information, visit the website by clicking the button below or contact CertificationSupport@usm.edu.

Fundamentals of Crowd Safety Course

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 the 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 1,000.

Save the Date

National Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum

The NCS⁴ team is excited to announce the National Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum will be held December 3-4, 2024, in Virginia Beach, Va. Mark your calendar and make plans to attend!