Written by Michael Breslin and Michael Hartenstein

This article originally appeared in IADLEST March 2025 Standards & Training Director Magazine, Iadlestmagazine.org

Event operational security planning occurs daily across the country. Public gatherings and celebrations range in size and scope and include large-scale events such as the Super Bowl, to smaller venues such as local parades and 4th of July celebrations. The planning and resources required by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and governments varies and increases in volume as the threat and risk increase, as well as the size of venues and volume of individuals anticipated to attend the subject event.

An example of a large, complex, and intricate planning process to ensure the safety of the public and event participants can be found in National Special Security Events (NSSE) such as Presidential Inaugurations, Presidential Nominating Conventions, State of the Union Addresses, and other major events deemed of national significance that are overseen by the federal government, with state and local support. These federally planned and coordinated events are supported by Federal resources, non-organic to local agencies, based on specific identified needs and assist local law enforcement and public safety agencies in filling gaps in local resources with federal assets.

However, smaller events significant to local jurisdictions are held throughout the country and in every state without federally supported planning. Although events and public gatherings differ in many ways and vary by their nature, size; and scope, there exist commonalities in the operational and safety planning, command, communication, and control, which can be increased or reduced depending on a host of factors. Because events are planned gatherings with a defined purpose, they require a level of detailed planning to develop and implement an actionable operational plan to ensure public safety, prevent disruptions, and maintain a sense of order.

The primary goal of event planning is to develop and implement a seamless operational security plan that creates a safe and secure environment for event participants and the public. Public events are likely to encounter incidents in the pre-event, event, and post-event phases. These incidents are unplanned occurrences that require an immediate response, ranging from a minor medical emergency to a significant crisis such as an active shooter situation.

Incidents, as with events, will vary in size, significance, and impact as well as the action(s) required for resolution. Event planners should consistently evaluate and update unforeseen incidents, ranging from minor disruptions to emergencies, ensuring appropriate preparedness and response strategies are in place. Flexibility in thought and action is key to successful operational security and safety planning. A failure to imagine a potential threat to the event and its attendees can translate into a failure to properly plan and mitigate the threat should it becomes a reality. 

Law enforcement agencies should conduct detailed threat assessments, identify vulnerabilities, and collaborate across federal, state, and local levels to anticipate challenges and collaboratively prepare as a best practice for all levels of events. Operational security event planning is a long and arduous process and encompasses a host of individuals and units with different capabilities and skill sets (i.e., Hazmat, Chem-Bio, Crowd Control, Investigative and Analytical). A security incident can likely be narrower in focus, and necessitate an immediate action and response, as in the event of an assault or deadly attack on event participants, or a virtual threat made to a public official requiring deployment of investigative and intelligence-gathering techniques.

An understanding of the distinction between security events and incidents is critical for effective threat management and response. The primary difference lies within the nature and impact of events and incidents. Planning involves imagining worst-case scenarios and developing robust contingency measures. This "failure to imagine" mentality is necessary for proactive mitigation and preparedness. Understanding these distinctions can help organizations prioritize their efforts and resources effectively to safeguard their digital assets.

A sound safety and operational security plan for major events of any size and scope must account for and have a response plan and effective approach to identify, assess, and mitigate all threats, albeit man-made or natural, thus rendering the differences between events and incidents a moot point through proper planning. Event planners should always anticipate incidents which could occur in any public event and ensure appropriate planning and resourcing.

There are some key lessons and steps employed by the United States Secret Service (USSS) in preparing for any NSSE that can aid those charged with planning events at all levels of government. Organizations charged with securing major events, such as the Super Bowl or a multi-day convention, should have a complete resourcing strategy that is aligned with the mission and goals of each participating and partnering government agency. The operational components must consider the expertise of each law enforcement, public safety, and local agency.

Here is a best practice outline to consider for agencies planning for an event, including a 360-degree view of threats, resource needs, strategy, and implementation of response efforts:

1. Statutes and jurisdictions: Determine all federal, executive order, state, city, local laws, and ordinances to understand your own authority.
   
   
2. Determine scope and scale:
   

   
   o   Duration

   o   Number of sites

   o   Crowd size

   o   Crowd management

   o   Public health and medical concerns, issues, and mitigation attempts/plans

   o   Special needs and considerations

3. Funding: Budget size, availability of block grants and in-kind services.
   
   
4. Timeframe: Plan backwards, set milestones, monitor progress, and adjust.
   
   
5. Organizational Structure: Establish an Executive Steering Committee (ESC), sub-committees staffed by subject matter experts, National Incident Management System (NIMS), and a Unified Command Center.
   
   
6. Leadership Model: Convey the mission – explain the purpose and objectives of the security plan – end state. Practice authentic leadership.
   
   
7. Chain of Command and Expectations: Establish clear command, control, and communication to enable better decision-making at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels.
   
   
8. Culture: Create a climate of respect and trust among all team members and partners.
   
   
9. Partnerships and collaboration: Invest the time and effort in strengthening relationship values.
   
   
10. Information sharing: Establish processes and procedures, dashboards, and platforms that help to avoid overlap and duplication of effort and resources.
    
    
11. Resource and procurement: Create a timeline and budget to address what is needed, how to obtain it, and who pays for it.
    
    
12. Address and Plan for inherent challenges to include:
    
    

    o   Security vs. Transparency

    o   Communication

    o  Vested interests (i.e., Political, Law Enforcement, Advocacy Groups, Business, Public

    o   Security vs. Entertainment, Social events, Fan experience - Striking the right balance

    o   Prioritization of security, costs and risks

     
13. Communications plan: Make decisions on secure/unsecure communication methods, computer, radio, information technology, and bandwidth requirements.
    
    
14. Training: Conduct Tabletop Exercises (TTXs) at the strategic, operational, and tactical level to ensure team members are cross trained with real-life scenarios.
    
    
15. Public relations strategy: Stakeholder outreach, engagement and buy-in; community involvement and relations.

The cornerstone of any effective safety and security operational plan is flexibility, ensuring that processes and planning structures can adapt to evolving circumstances, new intelligence, and unexpected factors.  These operational safety and security measures are resource-intensive and often require the use of sharing of municipal or agency resources across jurisdictions.  The USSS employs a unified command model, which is an executive command platform, or Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from those agencies with primary jurisdiction for the event.  Both NSSE planning and on-scene response activities are based on NIMS principles - unified command where the Incident Command (IC) is determined by the nature of the incident.

During the development of the overall operational security plan, each participating agency is tasked based on its jurisdiction and particular area of expertise. This planning is accomplished through the formation of subcommittees. These subcommittees are charged with the collective responsibilities to plan for every possible security, contingency, and public safety related matter. Examples of these subcommittees include Airspace Security, Credentialing, Crisis Management, Consequence Management, Interagency Communication, and Fire/Life Safety – HAZMAT. Each subcommittee is chaired or co-chaired by a U.S. Secret Service representative and staffed by the appropriate federal, military, or local law enforcement/public safety agency. This process ensures constant give and take, collaboration and timely dialogue to develop the most robust, relevant, and effective safety plans required in today’s increasingly dynamic threat environment.

Planning for both events and incidents consists of thorough preparation, effective coordination, and dynamic adaptability. Whether addressing a spontaneous incident or safeguarding an intricate event, the aim remains consistent: ensuring the safety of participants and the public while fostering trust in law enforcement's ability to handle complex challenges. The preparation for any major event where there will be a large gathering of people is a cooperative effort. No single federal, state, or local agency can implement the measures necessary to secure an event and mitigate all risks. However, it is only through intense planning, communication, training, and the right technological tools that events can be secured successfully and remain safe sources of entertainment and celebration as intended.

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