Event security planning: a checklist for organisers

Good event security is invisible when it works and glaring when it fails. Whether you are running a community fair, a corporate function or a large festival, safety depends on planning done well before the gates open. Use this checklist as a starting point, and bring in professional support early.

1. Start with a risk assessment

Every plan begins with understanding the specific risks of your event: the audience, the venue, capacity, alcohol, the profile of the event and the credible threats to it. The assessment drives everything that follows.

2. Plan crowd management and capacity

Know your numbers and how people will move. Entry and exit flow, pinch points, queue management and clearly planned evacuation routes are the backbone of a safe event.

3. Control access and screening

Decide how you will manage entry, ticketing, bag checks, accreditation and restricted areas. SIA-licensed event officers and door supervisors are essential here.

4. Prepare for emergencies

Have clear, rehearsed procedures for medical incidents, evacuation, invacuation and lost children, and make sure every steward knows their role. A plan nobody has been briefed on is not a plan.

The events that stay safe are the ones where the difficult scenarios were thought through while everything was still calm.

5. Get your communications right

Radios, a clear chain of command and a single control point let your team respond fast and consistently. Coordination is what separates a managed incident from a chaotic one.

6. Factor in Martyn's Law

With the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act expected to take effect in spring 2027, larger events will face new preparedness duties. Building counter-terrorism awareness into your planning now is smart, not premature. Read our guide to Martyn's Law.

7. Use experienced, licensed professionals

Event security is a specialist discipline. Properly licensed, vetted and briefed officers who understand crowd dynamics and de-escalation are worth far more than untrained stewards on the day.