Case Studies

Crowded Places SIG

by Mark Rowe

The Security Institute and the UK Crowd Management Association (UKCMA) are launching a Protecting People in Crowded Places Special Interest Group (SIG).

Like other SIGs, the Protecting People in Crowded Places SIG seeks to pull together research, knowledge, and experience; to address safety and security as an integrated concept for crowded places. Institute chairman Peter Lavery FSyI said: “The Security Institute is delighted to continue our collaboration with the UKCMA, through this Special Interest Group combining a multi-disciplinary approach to protecting people in crowded places. This is a critical area for ‘competent’ crowd safety and security professionals who on behalf of owners and operators consider the risk of terrorist attacks and take ‘proportionate and reasonable measures’ under the proposed ‘Protect Duty’ legislation (aka Martyn’s Law), to prepare and protect the public. This will require a multi-agency approach in our preparations and response planning.”

The committee includes four co-chairs: Anne Marie Chebib, Gary Simpson MSyI, Simon Roberts and Simon Ancliffe.

Anne Marie Chebib has been the owner-Managing Director of Select Security and Stewarding Ltd for over two decades. Her specialties include strategic planning, agency liaison and the management of projects and personnel. She is the secretary of the UKCMA, which is an association on crowd management and associated practices and a member of a recently formed Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA).

Gary Simpson MSyI has experience in operational management, specifically in security, risk mitigation and safety. He is a qualified and experienced Stadium Safety Officer and Counterterrorism Risk Manager. After leaving Greater Manchester Police he joined Manchester United FC as the Deputy Head of Stadium Safety and Security managing all aspects of match day safety and security at the 75,000 capacity Old Trafford stadium. Gary joined the US-based venue and event management company ASM Global in 2018 as Director of Security, Safety and Risk, responsible for spectator safety and security. He leads the company’s strategy for counter terrorism, emergency and risk management across ASM Global’s European sports and entertainment venues and stadiums; which in the UK includes the Ovo Arena Wembley, and the Manchester Arena, scene of the May 22, 2017 suicide bombing.

Simon Roberts is a specialist in protective security, risk assessments, exercising, penetration testing, workplace violence and personal security. A police officer for 30 years he worked in frontline policing, public order, high-risk offenders, intelligence, and security planning for vulnerable communities. He was seconded to the Home Office in the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) where he led the training of CTSAs nationally, delivered and authored national crowded places guidance, ACT Awareness e-learning, national exercises for sports stadia, the night-time economy and transport infrastructure. He developed the initial protective security standards for MPs’ homes and constituency offices. He was responsible for ensuring the safety of the British Olympic Team at the pan-European Games in Azerbaijan. He is working for the Natural History Museum in Tring.

Simon Ancliffe is the founder and Executive Director of people flow and analytics company Movement Strategies, now part of the GHD group. Movement Strategies is a crowd dynamics consultancy; and works on the analysis and application of movement and behaviour data and other sources. Simon has advised on many of the world’s iconic stadiums, arenas, transport systems, festivals and events including the London Olympic Park and its venues, Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur, the O2, Dubai Metro, Hong Kong Jockey Club, Tower of London, Glastonbury Festival, Notting Hill Carnival, and the expansion of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

Robert Kennedy CSyP FSyI, Board Director at the Institute will be acting as the Sponsoring Director of the Group. He said: “The calibre of the individuals already involved in this SIG will enable thought leadership demonstrating altruism to influence and align safety and security. This builds on the recently announced partnership between the UK Crowd Management Association and the Security Institute. This is going to be a game changer for the industry, I am really looking forwards to the outputs from this SIG, which will be of benefit to our industry, and society as a whole.”

The PPCS SIG will be officially launched at a Protecting People in Crowded Places conference, at the London Stadium (pictured) on April 21.

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