A Baseline When Considering Security Guards for Hire

When you’re responsible for planning a public event, there are countless factors to manage in order to ensure that your guests have a fun and safe experience. One of those factors is hiring security for the event. And in making that decision, you want to make sure you have enough security personnel on hand to guarantee a safe experience, but you also want to avoid hiring so much security that your guests feel uncomfortable, and you certainly don’t want to break your budget. The following variables will factor into the amount of security you need for your event.

A Starting Point

A good starting baseline for estimating your event security needs is to assume you will need at least one security officer for every 100 guests. However, it is important to note that this is only a starting point. Once you establish that number, you have to consider other factors that may indicate the need for more.

Factors That Call for Increased Security

Venue Size, Layout, and Procedures:  Hosting your event in a larger venue will call for an increased security presence, because it is harder for a small team of security personnel to monitor all the areas of an expansive venue at all times. The larger a venue is, the more you will need a patrolling security presence to make sure security personnel are within reach should something happen which requires a response.

Venue layout is also critical, and, in particular, the number of access points and whether the perimeter needs to be monitored. Security officers are necessary at all access points, not only in case there are problems of people trying to enter who shouldn’t, but to give notice to any would-be trouble-makers that any disruption at the event will generate a swift response. 

If the event is at a temporary outdoor venue, where it is possible for someone to breach a temporary barrier, you may also need either patrolling or stationed security personnel at various points around the perimeter to prevent unauthorized access.

Type of Event: When an event is relatively low-key, you can probably stay closer to your baseline number of security personnel. But if it is a high-energy event like a concert or festival, you have a greater likelihood that people will engage in more reckless behavior. And if the event involves serving any kind of alcohol, you will want to increase the security personnel-to-guest ratio considerably. It will also matter what the relative age is of the crowd you expect to attend. The fact is, young adults, and particularly young men, are more likely to engage in disruptive behavior than members of an older middle-aged crowd. 

Other Risk Factors

These are a few of the primary factors that you should consider, but there may be other concerns that could affect your calculations. For example, is there some current social or political issue that is encouraging people to be disruptive at public events? Does your event involve little children or other vulnerable groups who might need additional protection? While you cannot insure everybody’s absolute safety and it is not your responsibility to anticipate every possible security risk, you can take reasonable measures to keep your event and your guests safe.

GoJoe Patrol has provided security services and protection to people and businesses in Spokane, Washington for over 21 years. Every event has its unique security needs, and we will work with you to develop a plan that will provide the best solution for yours. Contact GoJoe Patrol today for a free quote, and let us help you make sure your next event is as safe as it is enjoyable.