Agenda Announced for the 2021 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

Agenda Announced for the 2021 National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security’s (NCS4) 12th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition agenda is now available. The conference is on Nov. 9-10 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz., in conjunction with Title Sponsor, Aluma. The 2021 conference theme is Reconnect. Reflect. Inspire.

The conference provides an opportunity to reconnect with peers, reflect on industry changes and technological advancements, and support and inspire professionals making a difference in the safety and security of the sports and entertainment industries.

“We know how eager everyone is to gather in person, and we are excited to make that happen for our first face-to-face event since the COVID pandemic,” said Lauren Cranford, NCS4 director of operations. “We are working hard to bring meaningful content that is important and relevant to the sports and entertainment industry and look forward to sharing information and networking with peers during this exciting time together.”

The NCS4 announces Mark Campana, Live Nation Concerts’ Chief Operating Officer, as a keynote speaker to kick off the opening general session. Campana will inform attendees about “The Changing Entertainment Landscape.”

“The entertainment industry has adapted over the years to provide fans with better environments to enjoy a show, and it has been challenged to even a greater level over the past few years in that regard,” Campana said. “I look forward to delving into recent advancements in event management and what may be on the horizon.”

General sessions cover broad topics with panel discussions relevant to sports safety and security professionals in today’s ever-changing landscape, while breakout sessions allow participants to engage with panelists and attendees on key issues.

“The NCS4 provides a conference program that is a must for those involved with sports and special event management and security,” said Joe Monroe, University of Kentucky’s Chief of Police. “As we focus on rebounding from a pandemic, now is the time for you to connect with your peers and professionals to share best practices.”

Monroe serves as a panelist on the general session entitled, “If You Build It, They Will Come: Best Practices for Managing Security Projects and Stakeholder Relationships,” where presenters discuss best practices for planning, implementing, monitoring, and managing facility renovations and new construction projects based on continuous risk assessment and predictive forecasting.

Additionally, the panel shares insight on effective collaboration tactics with project stakeholders and third-party contractors to ensure harmonious working relationships throughout the lifespan of a project.
 
Additional general sessions include:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A New Lens on Safety and Security in Your Organization
  • Negligent Security Litigation – Preparing for the Unexpected
  • Integrating Cyber and Physical Security: An NFL Perspective
  • DHS SAFETY Act: Lessons Learned From the Evolving Landscape 

Attendees choose two breakout sessions from the following topics with content ranging from new technologies to communication, crisis intervention, and more:

  • Breaking Barriers: The New Technologies Transforming Event and Venue Safety
  • Communicating in a Crisis: Are You Ready?
  • Enhancing Levels of Awareness Through Exceptional Focus, Performance, and Control in Extreme Situations
  • Intro to Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation Tactics
  • Thought-Provoking Security Program Continuity Considerations: Development, Evolution, and Continuum 

In the breakout session, “Intro to Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation Tactics, participants can expect to learn the basic steps in de-escalation/crisis intervention based on cognitive responses vs. visceral responses. “This helps the sports security industry practitioner understand the different motivations associated with various reactions in their respective venues,” said Christian D’Alesandro, Dallas SWAT (Ret.).

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 in the Exhibit Hall to network with friends and colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.