There’s Still Time to Register for Our National Conference...

But time is ticking — and We want to see you there!

Register now and join us for the 12th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition – our first in-person event since the pandemic began. The conference is set with a full exhibit hall featuring the most exhibitors and sponsors ever, new technologies, a packed agenda, breakouts, lots of networking, and more! We are so excited to get together with friends and colleagues to reconnect, reflect, and inspire.

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.

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.

Check out the agenda, register for the conference, book your hotel room, and stay posted for updates! We hope to see you in Phoenix to Reconnect, Reflect, and Inspire.

NCS⁴ Connect members, please contact Sara Priebe at sara.priebe@usm.edu to request the discount code.

Six Individuals to be Honored as Emerging Industry Leaders

“The Emerging Industry Leader Award allows professional leagues, NCAA member institutions, marathon and endurance events organizations, and interscholastic athletics programs to honor individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in addressing safety and security related issues,” said Brooke Graves, MSCJ, NREMT, NCS⁴ Senior Training Manager and Awards Luncheon Master of Ceremonies. “These contributions involve enhancing safety and security at their venue beyond what is normally required and setting an example for other young aspiring sports security professionals to follow.

Each league or organization selects the criteria and makes the determination as to who will be recognized. Individuals being recognized include:

• Michelle Juehring, Race Director, Quad-City Times Bix 7 (Marathon/Endurance)
• Dena Scott, Director of Athletics, Fort Bend Independent School District (High School)
• Kory Dahlen, Director of Championships, Southeastern Conference (NCAA)
• Melissa Lesperance, CSSP, Director, District Command Center, Olympia Development of Michigan (MLB)
• Zoe Irizarry, Manager, Safety and Security, Major League Soccer (MLS)
• Sarah Mathis, Director of Fan Experience, Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)

Congratulations to this year’s recipients!

Ryan Zatolokin to Receive Technology Alliance Member of the Year

Ryan Zatolokin, Axis Communications’ Senior Technologist for New Projects - Americas, will be recognized as NCS4’s Technology Alliance Member of the Year during the National Conference.

The Technology Alliance Member of the Year Award recognizes a member of the Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance who has demonstrated a high level of commitment to research and training addressing industry needs in sports safety and security. The 2021 Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance members are Axis Communications, Esri, Honeywell Building Technologies, Intel, Johnson Controls, Microsoft, Patriot One Technologies, and S2 Global.

“As the Axis Communications representative, Ryan has diligently worked to inform practitioners of how technical promise translates to operational capability,” said Daniel Ward, CEM, MBA, NCS⁴ Director of Training and Exercise. “His participation in webinars, workshops, and guidance reflect great credit upon himself and the entire Axis Communications team.”

As a member of the Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance, Axis Communications has partnered with the NCS⁴ to educate venue managers, operators, and stakeholders on the latest technological developments in an effort to close capability gaps.

Axis Communications enables a smarter and safer world by creating network solutions that provide insights for improving security and new ways of doing business. As the industry leader in network video, Axis offers products and services for video surveillance and analytics, access control, intercom, and audio systems. Axis has more than 3,800 dedicated employees in over 50 countries and collaborates with partners worldwide to deliver customer solutions. Axis was founded in 1984 and has its headquarters in Lund, Sweden.

The NCS⁴ Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance is an international consortium of leading architectural firms, service providers, and technology companies dedicated to spectator safety and security at sports and entertainment events. The Alliance consists of researchers, engineers, computer scientists, architects, and other stakeholders dedicated to spectator safety and security excellence through innovation. Most members are involved in safety and security at venues across the U.S. and around the world, while others are seeking opportunities to integrate new and emerging technologies that have the capacity to contribute in a meaningful way.

For additional details about NCS⁴’s Sports and Entertainment Technology Alliance, please visit https://ncs4.usm.edu/industry-engagement/alliance-members/.

The event is set with the most exhibitors and sponsors in conference history!

In addition to the exhibitors below, Technology Showcase Sponsors 24/7 Software, Axis Communications, Patriot One Technologies, and Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc., will exhibit their technologies in the foyer between the general session hall and the exhibit hall.

NCS⁴ Staffer Presentation to the Mississippi Recreation and Park Association

On October 20, Michael Finley, NCS⁴’s Curriculum Manager, presented How to Plan, Assess, and Mitigate Event Risks to the Mississippi Recreation and Park Association. Utilizing national infrastructure framework guidelines, this session delivered steps in planning for, assessing, and mitigating potential risks for venues and events.

The NCS⁴ Training Team Presents to Southern Miss Sports Management Students

The NCS⁴ Training Managers moderated a discussion with The University of Southern Mississippi’s Sport Management students on risk management processes, procedures, and risk management team building. Students in the Sports Management program receive professional training from industry leaders in preparation for management positions with professional sports teams, intercollegiate/intramural athletics, recreation programs at colleges/universities, and more.

Now Scheduling Select DHS/FEMA-Funded Training Courses

The NCS⁴ is currently offering four safety and security courses in 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 being presented in a face-to-face format that requires 8 hours each day for two consecutive days.

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 Event Risk Management
• MGT-412: Sport Venue Evacuation and Protective Actions
• 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 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.

If you are interested in attending or hosting a training course, please email us at NCS4train@usm.edu.

ICYMI: CISA Releases De-Escalation Series for Critical Infrastructure Owners and Operators

CISA is pleased to announce the publication of the De-Escalation Series for Critical Infrastructure Owners and Operators. CISA developed this four-product series to help critical infrastructure owners, operators, and employees to recognize the warning signs of someone on a path to violence; assess if the situation or person of concern is escalating, or if an emergency response is needed immediately; de-escalate the situation currently taking place through purposeful actions, verbal communication, and body language; and report the situation through organizational reporting to enable assessment and management of an evolving threat, and 9-1-1 for immediate threats.

The De-Escalation Series follows the Employee Vigilance Through the Power of Hello to help critical infrastructure owners, operators, and staff identify and navigate suspicious activity or potentially escalating situations to safely dis-engage and report to local law enforcement or their organization’s multi-disciplinary threat management team.

For more information and to access the product, visit: cisa.gov/publication/de-escalation-series. For questions please email central@cisa.gov.

ICYMI: Industry Report

The NCS⁴ recently published an industry report on Spectator Perceptions of Safety and Security Practices and Technologies.

The purpose of this survey was to gauge sport spectators’ perceptions of safety and security practices, including those related to COVID-19, as the sports industry prepares to return to full capacity stadiums and arenas. Understanding spectators’ perceptions of safety and security practices, their sense of safety, and related technologies while attending events can help venue and event directors plan accordingly to ensure the optimal spectator experience. Click the button to view the report.