National Forum to Address Effect of Paris Incident on Sport Safety and Security

During the annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference, a National Forum titled “What is the Effect of the Paris Incident on Sport Safety and Security?” will provide conference attendees with an extensive review of the Paris attacks that occurred Nov. 13, 2015. The National Forum will be held on the last day of the conference, July 14, from 8:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sponsored by MSA Security, an industry leader in explosive detection and high consequence security services, the goal of this year's National Forum is to examine and discuss the impact of violent extremism in the sports and special events industry.

The tragic Paris attacks last November involved multiple mass causality incidents, including an attempt to set off bombs inside the Stade de France, an 80,000-seat arena located approximately two miles from the city limits of Paris.

Salim Toorabally, a single security guard at the Paris soccer stadium, prevented unimaginable carnage when he stopped one of the terrorists wearing a suicide vest from getting inside. The attacker detonated his explosive belt outside the Stade de France after he was denied entry into the soccer match. Toorabally will be present at the National Forum and will be recognized for the impact of his preventative security measures at the Stade de France. He will also participate in a post-forum workshop where he will share his knowledge and insights on detecting suspicious behavior.

Led by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at The University of Southern Mississippi, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and INTERPOL, the Forum will begin with opening remarks from the Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection Caitlin Durkovich. “In today's environment it is important for security professionals in a field to gather together to share and discuss procedures, technologies, and best practices on security for public gathering events,” said Durkovich.

The National Forum will center on lessons learned from the 2015 Paris attacks and the evolution of terrorist tactics. A case study, presented by INTERPOL, will examine the successes and lessons learned from the assault on the Stade de France and the coordinated response efforts of event operators, law enforcement, and first responders. Representatives from DHS will then lead a discussion on evolving terrorist tactics. A moderated discussion will continue as subject matter experts and audience explore various protective measures that could impact operational security preparations. Government and private sector representatives will host four post-forum workshops on key topical areas including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Suspicious Behavior, Active Shooter and Screening Methods.

“By bringing together successes and lessons learned by member countries which have successfully hosted major international sporting events, through Project Stadia INTERPOL seeks to empower future hosts with global law enforcement expertise they can draw on to enhance their own operational security preparations,” said Michael O'Connell, INTERPOL director of Operational Support and Analysis, and head of Project Stadia.

"The attempt by terrorists to attack the Stade de France in Paris underlines the need for a better understanding of the methods used by terrorists, and for police to be well-trained in planning and undertaking  physical security and cybersecurity preparations for major sporting events,” said O'Connell.

Attendees who participate in the National Forum will be provided with a timely and relevant discussion on emergency preparedness, mitigation and response. To register for the conference, visit http://www.ncs4.com/conference. The Early Bird registration attendee rate ends after Thursday, May 12.

About the 7^th Annual Conference
The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security's (NCS4) National Sports Safety and Security Conference & Exhibition will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on July 12-14, 2016. The theme this year is Achieving the Gold Standard. The conference attracts exhibitors, sponsors, and professionals such as sports venue and event operators, managers, security and safety staff, emergency managers, and law enforcement. These are representatives from the following levels: professional leagues, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics and marathon/endurance events. For more conference and exhibition information, visit http://www.ncs4.com/conference.

About MSA Security
MSA Security, an industry leader in explosive detection and high consequence security services, is the largest private provider of Explosive Detection Canine (EDC) teams in America.  Our highly-acclaimed program of 230 single-handler, single-purpose teams are trained solely in explosive detection and rooted in an unmatched training philosophy that imprints and trains on all five families of explosives and HMEs while focusing on various operational deployment environments.  MSA's nationally-certified canine teams are trained to locate explosive and HME odor and follow it to its source – regardless of whether presentation is stationary, on person or airborne and even in the most crowded venues. For more information, visit http://www.msasecurity.net