From evolving threats influenced by past “game changers” such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, among others, to current trends and tactics, security for mass gathering events is an ever-changing challenge.
On Friday, Sept. 20, two experts with decades of experience managing security for many of our nation’s highest-profile mass gatherings led a wide-ranging discussion on the issue during the Center for Homeland Defense and Security’s September Alumni Hour.
Led by CHDS Emergence Program Director Cynthia Renaud, a CHDS alum (Master’s cohort 0901/02) who served as facilitator for the event, NFL Vice President of Security and CHDS alum Cathy Lanier (Master’s cohort 0401/02) and DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Statewide Interoperability Coordinator Charlie Guddemi spoke at length about handling mass event security in these chaotic times, and answered questions from some of the about 110 attendees during the Zoom session.
CHDS Strategic Communications Director Heather Issvoran kicked off the online event by announcing that registration has been issued for APEX 2025 to be held Feb. 18-20 next year, urging CHDS alumni to participate in ProPages as a way to gain and improve national visibility, and mentioning that new CHDS Director Dr. Greg Bernard is looking for participants for the Homeland Security Digital Library Focus Group to provide feedback on updates to the valuable resource.
Renaud introduced both expert panelists, noting Lanier’s lengthy career in security and policing and Guddemi’s experience in securing national assets and handling major events including several presidential inaugurations.
Lanier began by discussing how security threats have evolved over time, noting tragic events such as Oklahoma City, the Columbine High mass shooting, 9/11, and even the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas of last year. She also highlighted the current heightened threat environment while focusing on the impact on security for sports events and stadiums. She addressed increased threats from foreign terrorist organizations and domestic extremists, the influence of global migration on security, and the need for enhanced measures, noting the rise in political violence and its impact on security measures for routine political activities.
“Everything that happens both domestically and globally changes the way we do policing and security continuously,” she said.
She noted the specific threats posed to mass gathering events by drones, pointed to proposed legislation aimed at improving drone threat mitigation capability in the U.S., as well as expanding state and local law enforcement authorities, and underscored the importance of advanced detection, tracking, and location technology. Lanier also discussed the threat posed by vehicle ramming and the importance of mitigation measures.
She pointed to evolving threats including those from social media, insider threats, and the importance of vetting employees and third party vendors.
In addition, Lanier emphasized the importance of emergency preparedness, including emergency response plans and regular training exercises to ensure readiness.
Guddemi, who has led security preparations for high profile events such as the State of the Union address, the NATO Summit, and the congressional election certification, among others, noted lessons learned from past mass gathering events and preparations, pointing to the importance of interoperability, communications, and coordination between agencies, as well as robust communications and contingency planning to address potential loss of communications during chaotic events, noting that the Jan. 6 riot highlighted the need for improved planning and the use of encryption for secure communications.
“One quote that will probably be tattooed on my tombstone is this, if you’re worried about communications when you need it, it’s going to be too late, and I’ll see you in the after action report,” he said. “So that’s a warning I give to everybody.”
He also emphasized the need for public and private sector partnerships and collaboration, as well as various agencies, to ensure effective security measures are in place.
Guddemi pointed to the importance of real-time information sharing with medical and hospital communities during mass casualty events, while Lanier highlighted the need for better training and preparedness for the aftermath of mass casualty events, including coordination with fire, EMS, and other emergency responders, as well as medical and hospital communities.
Both highlighted the importance of continuous red-teaming and updating security measures based on global and domestic events to anticipate and mitigate potential threats, and they also noted the increasing role of technology and AI in enhancing security measures as well as the challenges they pose.
Finally, Lanier and Guddemi both highlighted the importance of constant vigilance and adaptation to the evolving threat landscape.