Feature


Confidence in Sec By Stephen Cooper, OBE, Director of Operational Solutions, Apstec System


The current terrorist threat environment means vigilance and preparation are more important than ever. Security officials and venue owners are acutely aware of the duty of care they have to their patrons; the public needs to feel secure, and those responsible for security need to be confident that they are doing as much as they can to protect visitors. As venue teams rethink security protocols to protect event-goers, they are increasingly turning to modern technologies to combat a modern threat. The threat of terrorism is something


we are all too often reminded of, as cities around the world become targets of attacks. In the UK, the threat shows no signs of abating, with counter-terror investigations on a ten-year high and the threat level consistently at ‘Severe’. In recent years, a shift in terrorist tactics


has added to the strain of stretched authorities, as malicious actors seek to exploit vulnerabilities in crowded public places. Stadiums, arenas, hotels, transport hubs; these are all venues with high footfall, and consequently have been seen as attractive ‘soft’ targets for terrorists, as they are easily to access and difficult to protect. This raises a unique challenge for the


security teams of such venues, and poses questions around their duty of care to keep visitors safe when using their facility.


38 fmuk The safety experience


A difficult market is compounding the challenge facing venue owners. We live in an age where it is harder and harder for businesses to encourage people out of their homes. We can get restaurant quality food delivered to our door and cinema- like picture quality in our living rooms. This means we’re seeing a much greater focus on visitor experience to attract the public to venues as everything from department stores to sports arenas integrate a host of additional experiences. Security procedures play an important


role in this visitor experience. While nobody disputes the need for security checks, the smoothness and efficiency with which people can enter a venue impacts their overall opinion. Security checkpoints are often a person’s first engagement with a facility, setting the tone for their visit, so a seamless and welcoming admission is important. Equally, from a commercially perspective, the more time the guest enjoys in the venue spending money, rather than standing in a queue waiting to enter, the better the bottom line looks. Therefore, finding a balance between the


obvious need for security and a smooth visitor experience is vital. Traditional security checkpoints or manual searches are often intrusive and inefficient in dealing with


modern threats. Procedures which scan one individual at a time are not suited to large venues and public places, leading to long queues and delays. These queues outside the venue create a vulnerable secondary threat in their own right. Thus, attention has moved towards the


need to add a critical level of defence that doesn’t impede visitor experience.


Designed to secure


For older facilities it can be particularly challenging to balance functional requirements with security design, without significantly disrupting the flow of people and venue operations. That’s because the interior designs may not lend themselves to retrospective integration of security measures to counteract current threats. For newer facilities, or those in planning, there’s often more space to accommodate emerging technology. Either way, practicality and proportionality will be critical factors in addressing security concerns. While there is still no ‘one-size fits all’


approach to security and dealing with the threat of terror, venue owners and their security teams are increasingly seeking out high-throughput walkthrough technologies that can close this critical security gap without impeding the flow of people or impacting the visitor experience.


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