What The Paris Olympics Mean For The Security Industry

On the 26th July, the River Seine will become a sea of vivid colour as the 2024 Olympic Games descends upon France. The Opening Ceremony will be one we’ve never seen before, with boasts and barges bringing in the nations and their representatives.

With the festivities of one of the sporting calendar’s biggest and most iconic events just around the corner, and Paris set to play host to hundreds of the world’s best and brightest sportspeople, it’s only natural we’d turn our focus to how that’s going to affect the security industry.

Our sector is one that’s used to constant change – the recent Euros were a testament to that, even if the final result might not have been ideal! With the Olympics set to bring more of the same, alongside new challenges for the security industry, I’ve set out today to explore what those might mean for what we do.

I’ll be taking a dive into the diverse challenges of the sector, and how they could evolve as we gear up for the next chapter in a summer of sport.

?

Lighting The Torch For A Monumental Summer Ahead

The security sector is one that’s undoubtedly going to play a huge role in this summer’s simmering events calendar. Of course, the Parisian Olympics are a massive part of that, and as the UK’s #1 ACS-approved security provider, I feel we’re ideally positioned to discuss just how much of an impact that’s set to have across our sector.

As a nation, we’re incredibly focused on sport. Whether that’s in our historic footballing exploits, or our more modern successes in cricket and rugby, many of us thrive on the thought of sport throughout the year. The Olympics is no different, of course – from athletics to wrestling, there’s an incredibly diverse and multi-faceted calendar on show.

That naturally means there’s likely to be an influx of events, watch parties and even dedicated fan zones – after all, the Olympics are thought to bring in more than 3 billion viewers across the globe. They’re a huge event, and have been for literal thousands of years.

With that comes the need for effective security, and security that’s able to move and shift with the flowing tides of the Olympian events calendar. Protecting spectators and sportspeople is an integral part of that – you’ll find out more about my thoughts on the importance of manned guarding in spectator sports here – and forms the backbone of an effective security service.

Equipped with the expertise to deal with all manner of security issues, from conflict management through to ensuring tickets and passes are all scanned and accounted for appropriately, security personnel are the ideal option for the safety of an Olympics-related event.

Similarly, more robust, modernised security options like mobile security cameras – an essential consideration if you’re operating an outdoor event. I’ll be delving more into outdoor events in a later section, but there’s a whole world of more high-tech solutions that you can have in place to ensure the success of your summertime event.

Of course, keeping guests safe might be your primary concern, but there’s also governmental legislation to bear in mind as you plan for the summer. As someone at the helm of a security business, that’s a major consideration for me – and it should be for you, too.

?

Change On The Cards With Martyn’s Law & Legislative Movement

Legislation is always in a state of flux. The tides of change can come and go, and we’ve often seen changes that could impact the security sector fall off the horizon, only to resurface again far down the line.

A great example of that, and a change that we’ve been closely keeping an eye on as it’s gone through the various stages of governmental approval, is Martyn’s Law. Coined in the aftermath of the tragic Manchester Arena Bombings of 2017, the law in a nutshell will place a requirement on those responsible for certain publicly accessible locations to consider the threat from terrorism and to implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures.

It’s arguably one of the most pivotal pieces of legislation for the security industry in recent years, and for me it’s one that’s been a long time coming. It only serves to bolster our sector, and to build in higher standards and greater levels of safety across the UK.

The wheels are once again in motion now, largely down to the recent General Election. I won’t talk too much about that here – my colleague David’s piece on what the General Election means for security is an excellent deep dive, if you’d like to know more – but suffice it to say that we’re already starting to see the seeds of change take root.

Martyn’s Law, while undoubtedly one of the largest, is not the only proposed legislation change, either. Throughout the hospitality sector and beyond, we’re starting to see the rumblings of new legislation that could spell changes to your plans for the Paris Olympics.

Chief among these is the impending change to alcohol duties across Scotland. While indirect in its relation to the Games, they’re no doubt a consideration point if you’re planning to celebrate the endeavours of Laura Muir or Duncan Scott.

Alcohol prices rising are no doubt going to put a strain on budgets, which may result in customers feeling the pinch when they go to purchase their pint. Similarly, if you’re planning to host an event where you’ll be serving alcohol, you’ll also need to factor that into your overall costs.

All of this is to say that more effective security is the way forward and, in the case of Martyn’s Law and its associated changes to training and anti-terrorism training, more robust legislation around how we secure our events.

?

Garden Parties, Marquees & Security: A Winning Formula

The points we’ve just discussed are especially important for outdoor events. All too often we’ve heard horror stories of improper security measures, security officers sleeping on the job, and lax protocols allowing guests and trespassers to run rampant.

That is, of course, the last thing you’d want as an event organiser. You’re no doubt determined to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, and a massive part of that is choosing the right security for your event.

Many of us want to take advantage of the (admittedly very limited) sunshine we see over the summer period, and could opt to take our Olympic celebrations into the great outdoors. That’s only natural, of course – the sunlight, fresh air and great company are all conducive to a much more enjoyable experience.

With the right security officers, such as those we offer here at Churchill Support Services, that becomes all the easier to get just right. Officers like ours are able to provide a more comprehensive suite of services, all of which are designed to offer more complete coverage.

That can range from car parking and Banksman services (essential if you’ve got a larger event planned where you’re expecting significant traffic), right through to first-aid trained officers who offer that additional peace of mind and protection for your guests.

Regardless of where you opt to celebrate the Paris Olympics, or the events you’ve got planned for the wonderful British summertime, you’ll be in safe hands with an effective, robust and ultra-professional security company.

?

How This Summer Is Just Par For The Course

While the events in Paris and across the globe are no doubt cause for celebrations, it’s just another opportunity for security companies like ours to truly excel in what we do. It’s a chance to prove our worth time and again, and to truly offer the protection we’ve become known for.

That’s why this summer doesn’t worry me like it might many. I have unwavering confidence in our ability to deliver the levels of safety, security and satisfaction both our recent and long-standing customers have become accustomed to.

Summer is often a time where security companies begin to feel the strain. Festival season, football tournaments, even more localised shows and concerts – all of these mount up and push the boundaries of what you’re able to reasonably expect from your provider. Not Churchill, though.

I’ve often been of the opinion that it’s crucial to be adaptable in an industry like security, and that’s never been more true than this summer of sport. We’ve just seen the end of the Euros, but we’re now back-to-back as just 12 days later the Olympics kicks off, and I for one cannot wait to truly nail the Churchill colours to the mast over this busy period.

With challenge comes growth and development, and there’s no more challenging period than the summer. We won’t wait for the starting pistol – we’re already leading the race, and long may that continue.

?