Policing major sporting events: training for senior security professionals

29 de enero de 2019

DOHA, Qatar – Hosting a major sporting event comes with a wide range of security and policing challenges. The Sports Security Senior Management training course assists law enforcement officials in preparing for the threats of disorder, violence, cyberattacks and even terrorism that are connected to large-scale events, and the challenge of securing locations that are often complex and dispersed.

Aimed at executive law enforcement officials and incident management team leaders, the latest session of this course was delivered in Doha from 20 to 24 January, bringing together 18 participants (16 from Qatar, one from Estonia and one from Côte d’Ivoire).

Taking a highly innovative approach, the course builds policing capabilities for planning, managing and responding to incidents, using a structured decision-making process to take steps to maintain public order, better prevent crime, and improve standard national security policies and practices.

Organized by INTERPOL’s Project Stadia, in formal cooperation with the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4), University of Southern Mississippi, United States, this is one of six courses that make up the International Sport Safety and Security Training Programme, accredited according to INTERPOL standards.

These scenario-based courses are grounded in academic research and developed by international experts from police, public safety, emergency management, fire services, international sports federations and associations, event management, government, and academia.

Participants develop their skills in risk management, decision making, communication, incident management, crowd management, emergency operations planning, evacuation and protective action, and team management and leadership.

“This training course is an invaluable opportunity for senior law enforcement officers to review their current capabilities and to strengthen their planning and preparation to help keep major sporting events trouble-free”, said Falah Al Dosari, Senior Manager, Project Stadia.

About Project Stadia

Established by INTERPOL in 2012 and funded by Qatar, Stadia is a 10-year project that will contribute to policing and security arrangements for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and will leave a lasting legacy for the world’s law enforcement community through its Centre of Excellence.

About NCS4

Established in 2006 at the University of Southern Mississippi, United States, and supported by the US Department of Homeland Security, NCS4 supports the advancement of sport safety and security through training, professional development, academic programs and research.