oe CL As violence at Pecmee Tote err hnretseatr crite s grec er tees nts Remi enn niece ts aerate cee nee emer h ae eres Fone eae) enneter a etn net iy ee ees ere ‘These incidents are but a small sampling of the scores a Peet eee eee renee Se rere re ‘Years. Nationwide, violence at school gaines—particularly at football and basketball games-—is onthe rise, and there have been a number of death. Pen er Cen ee eer einen eerie es ec seer pemeye eeeere keennre eee eta r aon Fama Ren ART yOf od Cee ea cee Rec ty members. ‘The good news is that many steps to bolster security do oe ee eet ee ot ae ert Cee ee eee ee Ges ee oe en ee’ the safety of your sports events. ee) ‘Smart planning means more than deeiding on Thursday night, Sua Rot ea eee ee eed eee ee Eee eo ne Seas ‘That early start begins with an assessment of your sports ge ees Ceo cee te eon cna Cee ee eee ag ee ee ee eae ed they adequately supervised during a game? Are there areas of the facility where people can gather out of sight? "This isthe time to consider using surveillance cameras at ay) RSet ee ne un ee Src cre i en ae ees ne oa ay parking lots, ds well. You also need to evaluate the lighting in a eee tes etn eat COs eee ee Ce Eee kag eee nec er ed ee Roe eet ese a sg Re eee ee ees ing gang rivalries that could lead to trouble if gang members show up fo watch the game? ed ee ey ee ee eee ee es Sn eee coe Re ee et cee cra Se ae ee respond to a fight or riot, manage a inedical emergency, and See ae eure Rr gern address system should be trained in how to communicate eet erated Bee ea see cedures that govern ticket sales, spectator seating, uise ofparking lots, and other activities surrounding an event, This is the time to decide whether to restrict the use of large purs- fs, book bags, backpacks, or other items that could be used -apons into a facility. Consider an admissions pol ley that gives the school the right to search spectators at the admissions gate and outlines the rules surrounding the use of metal detectors and bag searches, Other rules worth consideration include denying specta tors reenizy to the sports facility if they leave during the game—a simple way to reduce opportunities for spectators to sneak a weapon past security. A code of conduct regarding sportsmanship also is worth developing for all involved, Including players, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, and spectators, These rules should be posted throughout the facility so that. everyone knows the behavior you expect at an Because many acts of violenee occur before and after a game, its important to review your plans for traffie flow, parking, and security around the faeility and the parking lot Consider denying access to cars that arrive after a designat thetic events, i's oflen one of si anding the paring to deal with them—sch a) Tee eee eer Crowded stands: Some athletic ov eet nts attract thousar Sea eee ca ae eee tay sh to cause harn Inadequate adult supervision, visibility, and mobility. =n pavior that leads up to vi Re ett eee eres ree aay a ee care eee ee LC eee eee eee Pet aay eee) earns See rice ee ro eae eee Presence of alcohol and drugs. Some peo os a ee eee eee een eae eee oem Coe erry een eee a ere re Teeny) ee Nera Cee ee aati! 28 American Scheel Bard Jouna/Fetury 2007 ered) eee Sa Sr erie Sete Pee ent here Peer aa eee ane! ed time, such as during the second half of a game. Set aside designated areas—monitored by police or school stal!—for students to be picked up by parents. Also review your procedures for clearing and locking own the sports facility after the game, and clearly designate who will be responsible for each step of this process. Finally, limit the potential for conflict by miniraizing con- tact between athletes and spectators from competing schools, Maintain separate locker rooms for the home and visitor teams. Arrange for team buses to pick up and drop off players at opposite ends of the sports facility to minimize interaction before and after a game. Separate spectators with clearly designated seating areas, with the home team's fans in bleachers on one side of a stadium or gym and the visiting team's fans on the opposite side. If possible, you should set up separate concession stands in each area If ongoing problems persist even after preventative secu- ly measures have been in effect, you may need to take stronger action, Some school districts have changed their ‘game times and days in response to violent incidents at evening games. Others have limited the number and type of spectators—to students and parents, for example—to diminish the risks of trouble ing from community conflicts involving former stu- dents or adults with no cur rent link to the school eeereet Step 2: Provide adequate staffing Having adequate personnel supervising your sporting events will go a long way to ensuring the safety of athletes eee and ns. But what exactly does *adequat ‘The answer is unique to each sporting event-—and the potential safety issues facing your schools. How large a crowd is expected? How large are the facilities and grounds, including parking lots? Have there been violent Incidents at similar events at the campus? Are there school rumors or police knowledge about conflicts among sti dents, gangs, or comumunity ‘members that could spill over into an athletic event? dents from both Mo ce eee ers ra