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Command Senior Advisor, Mickey Nelson, takes "A Proactive Approach" to sports venue security in a newly published The Cipher Brief article:

Major public venues—from stadiums and arenas to concert halls and convention centers—serve as opportune targets for terrorists and other malevolent individuals seeking to carry out acts of violence against innocent civilians. Over the past decade, attacks against these “soft targets” have been especially common, as they pair high visibility with relatively low site security sophistication.

Most recently, during the November 2015 attacks in Paris, three terrorists clad in explosive vests attempted to attack, among other targets, the Stade de France, the country’s national sports stadium, during a soccer match between the French and German national teams attended by both the French President and the German Foreign Minister. While the attackers were ultimately prevented from entering the stadium—their explosive vests were detonated outside the gates killing themselves and one individual—their actions underscored the dangers that major public venues face and the necessity of implementing effective security measures. 

Given the proliferation of threats in today’s world, securing high profile venues and protecting attendees presents a complex, yet vital challenge. Today’s venue security requires proactive planning and tactics, multi-stakeholder coordination, robust training and exercises for safety and security personnel, and a constantly evolving mentality to counter new and future threats.

 

To read the full article please go to: The Cipher Brief