Ensuring Safety at Large College Gatherings: Policies, Procedures, and Technology
- By Dean Cunningham
- November 05, 2024
The college experience is often described as a whirlwind of activities. From learning and personal growth to social events and advocacy, students constantly find themselves engaging in a diverse, vibrant campus life.
However, along with the fun and learning comes the need to ensure safety, especially during large gatherings. Whether it's a homecoming parade, a football game, or an organized protest, these events carry inherent risks that require thorough planning and modern security approaches.
While ensuring the safety of students during these events may seem like a challenging task, the right blend of policies, procedures, and advanced technologies can make a world of difference.
Policies and Procedures: The Foundation of Event Safety
Large gatherings are not just inevitable on college campuses—they are a core part of the community experience. College events, whether celebratory or advocacy-driven, often define the institution's culture. So instead of trying to disallow these gatherings, which is an impractical approach, institutions must embrace the fact that they will inevitably happen and work to make them as safe as possible.
A key strategy is to designate certain areas on campus specifically for large gatherings. Public speaking events, protests, and rallies frequently occur in spaces already suited for such activities, like the college union or an open green space in the heart of the campus. These areas are designed to accommodate crowds and should be equipped with the necessary infrastructure to ensure safety.
By acknowledging that these events will happen and working proactively with event organizers, colleges can reduce potential risks. Collaborating with those planning the event to create a mutual understanding of safety protocols is crucial. Simply put, working hand in hand with organizers is far more effective than banning gatherings altogether, which would only push them into uncontrolled, potentially dangerous spaces.
One of the most valuable actions colleges can take when it comes to large campus gatherings is pre-planning. This planning begins with a thorough review of campus policies regarding open spaces to ensure that they are in line with free speech rights. If campus policies contradict legal standards or student expectations, they can create conflict rather than safety.
Additionally, campus security and press information officers must be involved early on in the planning process. Clear, direct lines of communication between these parties can help ensure quick response to any security concerns, keep attendees informed in real time, and keep the media up to date. Access to security systems plays a vital role here. Colleges must establish permission-based guidelines about who can access security systems and what responses will be triggered by security alerts.
Layered Security Technology: An Integrated Approach
With well-defined policies and procedures in place, the next step is to implement a layered security approach, leveraging different security measures such as access control, video surveillance, and AI analytics.
At large gatherings, access control is more than just determining who can enter and exit specific spaces; it also involves monitoring how people move throughout these areas. One effective tool in this context is heat mapping, which uses security devices to track movement patterns. By establishing a baseline for normal activity in a particular space, anomalies—such as sudden crowding, people running, or areas becoming dangerously overcrowded—can be detected early on. This allows security teams to respond quickly and prevent the situation from escalating.
Video surveillance has long been a critical component of campus security, but its effectiveness is magnified when paired with AI-powered analytics. Modern surveillance cameras can do more than just record events; they can actively assist security personnel during and after an incident.
For example, during an event, cameras equipped with advanced analytics can detect signs of potential problems, such as rising noise levels, and alert security officers before a situation spirals out of control.
These real-time insights are invaluable in preventing problems before they escalate. Moreover, after an event, video footage can be analyzed forensically to understand what went right, what went wrong, and how the institution can be better prepared for future events.
This multi-layered approach ensures that security personnel are never operating "blind," allowing them to monitor large gatherings more effectively respond as soon as warning signs appear.
The X Factor: The Campus and Surrounding Community
Educational institutions have a unique challenge when it comes to securing large events: the campus is not an isolated environment. Colleges often sit within larger communities, and while this brings vibrancy and diversity, it also adds complexity to security planning. Ensuring that both the campus and its surrounding areas are safe and traversable requires cooperation between the institution and the broader community.
Building strong relationships with local authorities and community leaders before an event is essential. By working together, the campus and the surrounding community can coordinate efforts to ensure everyone in the area is kept safe. For instance, in the case of inclement weather disrupting a homecoming parade, the campus and local businesses must be prepared for an influx of attendees seeking shelter or amenities. These types of disruptions—whether small or large—need to be anticipated, with clear plans in place to minimize the impact on both the campus and the community.
Another crucial aspect of security is defining clear perimeters for events. This involves establishing boundaries for where campus responsibility ends and where community responsibility begins. These boundaries should allow easy movement for attendees and ensure that those needing to exit an event can do so easily and safely, even if they end up in community spaces.
One common scenario where this collaboration proves invaluable is during protests, which are frequent on college campuses. Rather than shutting down protests, institutions should foster dialogue with protest organizers to ensure everyone’s safety. When the institution and the protesters work together, it becomes much easier to manage the event and protect all participants.
A Comprehensive Approach to Campus Event Security
Protecting students and communities during large college events may seem daunting, but with the right strategies, it is entirely achievable. The combination of forward-thinking policies, careful procedures, and advanced technology allows educational institutions to manage these events safely and effectively.
By embracing a multi-layered security approach, colleges can ensure that everyone—whether participating in a homecoming celebration or a peaceful protest—remains safe. When security measures are designed thoughtfully and implemented with care, students can enjoy the richness of campus life without compromising safety.
This article originally appeared in the November / December 2024 issue of Campus Security Today.