NCS⁴ NEWS eNewsletter | December 14, 2023

The Fall 2023 Issue of Gameday Security Magazine is Now Available!

We are excited to present our Fall edition of the Gameday Security magazine. The articles in this issue address the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in security management, human trafficking trends and the association with large sporting events, and the security and business considerations for professional sports teams or players competing on foreign soil. We also highlight the tremendous impact the NCS⁴ continues to have on the industry. Click the button below to read the issue.

Join NCS⁴ for Upcoming Safety and Security Forums

Time is Running Out – Register Now to Guarantee Your Spot

OBJECTIVE: To address key safety and security challenges facing interscholastic athletics and after-school activities and to share best practices for continuous improvement.

Confronted with the incredible task of ensuring the safety and security of those involved in high school athletics and after-school programs, high school officials must respond to emerging challenges by integrating and leveraging new resources and information. Discussing current issues and exploring solutions in a forum environment will help high school and athletic administrators, school resource officers, and law enforcement enhance safety and security plans and operations.

In addition to general programming sessions on weather risks, emergency preparedness, medical emergency planning, fan behavior, hosting officials, and creating a safety culture, attendees will be involved in moderated discussions in the following areas:

• Access Control and Screening
• Extreme Weather Planning
• Emergency Medical Planning
• Emergency Communications
• Staff Training and Development
• Recovery Planning

We have very limited space for this event, and registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register is January 2, 2024, or until sold out, whichever comes first.

To register or for more information, click the button below.

Thank you to our Solution Partner

Their participation helps make this event possible.

OBJECTIVE: To address key safety and security challenges facing the professional sports and entertainment industry and to share best practices for continuous improvement.

The threat environment surrounding high-profile sport and entertainment events is continually evolving. Discussing current issues and exploring solutions in a forum environment will help safety and security managers, operations managers, and local and state law enforcement enhance safety and security plans and operations.

In addition to general programming sessions on sports betting, drone operations, illicit drug usage at events, lessons learned from recent events, the human factor in security, and the impact of social media influencers, attendees will be involved in moderated discussions in the following areas:

• Access and Functional Needs
• Fire and Emergency Medical Planning
• Staff Training and Development
• Fan Behavior
• Emergency Communications
• Perimeter Security

We have very limited space for this event, and registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register is January 29, 2024, or until sold out, whichever comes first.

THANK YOU TO OUR SOLUTION PARTNERS

Their participation helps make this event possible.

Make Plans and Join Us for the 2024 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

The 15th annual conference will take place July 9-11, 2024, at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, in conjunction with Title Sponsor, inOrbit. 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. Make plans to attend the 15th Annual Conference in Phoenix and register now.

The NCS⁴ Announces the 2024 Young Professional Scholarship Program

The NCS⁴ is committed to educating the next generation of sport and special event security professionals. The Young Professional Scholarship Program is designed for professionals 40 years of age or younger working in the sports and entertainment security industry. The scholarship program is sponsored by Axis Communications and supports young professionals’ educational goals by covering the NCS⁴ Annual Conference and Exhibition registration fee. Recipients are exposed to general educational programming, innovative technology solutions, security expert insights, and networking opportunities.

The NCS⁴ will award five scholarships covering the cost of registration to the National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition, July 9-11, 2024, in Phoenix.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024, @ 11:59 pm CDT

Recipients Notified: March 15, 2024

Application Criteria

• Applicants must be 40 years of age or younger.
• Applicants must be current practitioners in the sports and entertainment industry.
• Applications must be completed online and submitted before the deadline.
• Recipients must be able to attend the National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition on July 9-11, 2024, in Phoenix.

Click the button below to register or share with someone you know who might benefit from the scholarship!

Dr. Hall Speaks to Local Rotary Club

On December 12, 2023, Dr. Hall spoke to the Laurel Rotary Club members in Mississippi. She provided an overview of the NCS⁴ and discussed national and international training, research, and outreach programs.

ICYMI: The NCS⁴ Publishes Industry Research Report on Spectator Perceptions of Safety and Security Practices, Technologies, Threats, and Game-Day Experiences

This study aims to gauge sport spectators’ perceptions of safety and security at live events, awareness and support of policies and procedures, and willingness to embrace new measures and technological solutions to enhance their safety and game-day experience. Four hundred participants (n=400) across the continental U.S. completed the survey.

ICYMI: New AI Technology Webinar Available

A new Technology Webinar on “An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Security” is now available on demand. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in safety and security across various domains. Its ability to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make real-time decisions has significantly transformed how we approach safety and security measures. In this webinar, the NCS⁴ Technology Alliance members discuss the application and significance of purpose-driven AI.

DHS Releases New Awareness Video for “If You See Something, Say Something“ Campaign

The DHS “If You See Something, Say Something®” Campaign recently released a new general awareness video, which can be used for a variety of purposes (public outreach, trainings, etc.).

The new video highlights the campaign’s mission, educates the public on signs that may indicate a potential nexus to terrorism, and how to report suspicious activity to appropriate local authorities.

Please feel free to leverage this new campaign tool for your needs. You can download the video file here, or view/share the video from the official DHS YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Lgm5QWD1T3k.

The Need for Additional Security at High School Basketball Games

Read the article in Campus Security Today

An article on best practices for how to reduce the risk at basketball events by Partick V. Fiel Sr., Founder of PVF Security Consulting, recently appeared in Campus Security Today. In the recent football season, there were more than 20 shootings at football games around the country. Click the button below to read the full article.

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:

• 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.

Now Scheduling DHS/FEMA-Funded Training Courses

The NCS⁴ is offering seven safety and security courses in a 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 presented in a face-to-face format that requires 8 hours each day for two consecutive days unless otherwise noted. Four of the courses are already full.

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 and Special Event Risk Management
• 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 Safety and Security (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.

Sport and Special Event Staff Training and Development Course Coming Fall 2024

This DHS/FEMA-funded course, expected to be released in the fall of 2024, will bring together first responders, government, and commercial facilities personnel to improve safety and security training and development programs. The overall goal for this training is to provide tools and methodologies for training and developing staff assigned to and responsible for public safety at sporting and special events.

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

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 1000.