Sports Industry Concept: Security Spectator Sports Net (SSSN)

Hello All,

I rarely offer ideas or proposed concepts for certain industries until they randomly occur to me. This is one of those instances in regards to spectator sports as a whole.

The other day I saw on the news in Argentina a soccer Championship match gone wrong where a riot ensued. A projectile was thrown and it hit the goalie of one team right in the eye. Previously soccer or football games in that region of Argentina I believe were banned. Where 160 of the so-called fans turned rioters clashed with police. One man died from a heart attack.

Here's the link from UK Reuters March 20th 2011:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/20/soccer-latam-argentina-violence-idUKLDE72J0QT20110320

I point this out, what if there was a better way of instead of an extreme measure of banning public spectator sports or other major events from occurring?

Consider my proposed idea of the "Security Spectator Sports Net(Work)" or for short the (SSSN) cast like a net upon a stadium or other public sporting events venue. Such as for sports like the aforementioned soccer (football), hockey, basketball, baseball, American football, musical concert hall, or a convention center. Specific infrastructure where public spectator events are held be it sports, artistic, or other business themed mass gatherings.

In this case however a sporting event will be a main function and example in this blog entry. So going back to that soccer game where all of the above occurred be it public intoxication, vandalism, fighting, and certainly a riot. In case of a riot fans spilling out onto the sports field, into the stadiums parking lot, if not into the surrounding local municipality. I'm not saying with my proposed system that it will be a magic bullet to avoid such hostile encounters. But it will be another system / tool set in an ongoing arsenal for security and local police to utilize.

This is how the system will work having facial and body recognition surveillance cameras situated at the entrance mail gates, food court vendors level, entrance to bathrooms, stadium arena seating sections, lighted sections of the stadium parking lot, staff entrances, staff corridors, and misc. sensitive choke points. Yes, an entire grid of facial / body recognition software enabled surveillance cameras. When I say "Body" as well as facial recognition, I mean to scan for additional visual metrics besides the face. Such as gender, body type, height, visible tattoos (especially street gang tattoos), body mass (weight), etc...

The facial and body recognition software linked to local police or federal law enforcement criminal database's. Will only Record Hits and not keep records of the common citizen or tourist visiting and enjoying their peace loving day. When a hit is verified or listed internally as suspicious it will be categorized as a criminal with an outstanding warrant, a wanted suspect, or most wanted criminal at large.

Where the alerted array of security cameras will follow the suspiciously scanned person. Until they are standing still or has sat down amongst the spectators. A security detail of 2 guards or a guard and a police officer is dispatched with either a portable finger scanner, or if available a portable eye retina scanner. If no such portable identity scanners are available the suspect is politely escorted to a security station to be scanned and verified. If the scan turns out to be a false alert than a sincere apology is rendered and for the spectators kind understanding. A future free game ticket, food court voucher, merchandise gift card, is offered to them for their mistake. But, if indeed the suspect is a wanted criminal of any of the above listed criteria. That person is arrested by local police or detained by security guards for police processing.

This will weed out unwanted criminal elements in order to maintain public safety at spectator sports events. However this is only one function of the "Security Spectator Sports Net" (SSSN). If any unruly spectators convert to hostile hooligans be it the criteria listed above of drunkenness, vandalism, fighting, and up to rioting. Those facial and body recognition cameras will earn their weight in Gold. Where they will pinpoint all hostile individuals as high priority targets to be scanned as a criminal act in progress. Where over the loud speakers if a riot were occurring for example akin to an Orwellian 1984 novel. Will state: Any visitors committing a public disturbance and/or vandalism your identities have been scanned and recorded. Crowd control procedures are now in effect whereby you will be arrested on premises by police if not captured by police elsewhere."

This is to serve as a verbal deterrent where any security camera's in the stadium are to be out of reach from any visitors. The security camera's will all have zooming and panning right/left up/down capabilities. Such scans are in real time relayed to the police or federal law enforcement databases. Be they at a local police station or onsite in a secure portion of the sports complex. Persons trying to avoid the security camera's as visitors at the entrance main gates. Will have to remove any hats, sunglasses, hooded covers from a sweatshirt, etc... There will of course be proper signage listing such a security measure for admittance. Similar as to how amusement parks have security personnel inspect tote/hand bags before entering.

Aside from the "Security Spectator Sports Net or (SSSN)" system I would like to propose a means for hooligan offenders to be given either a temporary or permanent lifetime ban. To any future sporting or mass social events in order to promote civic responsibility and safety. For example a prior hooligan offender at a past sporting event that has been caught for: drunkenness, fighting, vandalism, rioting, etc... Is given a temporary or permanent ban from attending another sporting event. If they are caught on the premises of another sports venue they shall be rearrested as a repeat offender. (much like a sexual predator watch list)

In order to be stricken from the hooligan watch list they can allow their allotted temporary ban to have elapsed. Or volunteer to attend an anger management workshop, or a alcohol or drug offenders anonymous meetings, included a set amount of hours of community service in terms of the severity of their offense. If those requirements are met by the former listed hooligan just like driver license points from your record. Their status as a hooligan offender will be lifted from the temporary ban watch list for attending sporting or other mass social events. (IE concerts etc...)

If on the other hand they allow their temporary ban to have elapsed. They must enroll voluntarily by phone or in person to be placed on an ex-offender watch list. Where they must verify their status as off the offender temporary ban list. In order to be placed onto an ex-offender watch list for the next full year or 12 months. If they do not re-offend they shall return to being an ordinary person attending any other similar spectator public events. If they re-offend be it on the temporary ban list or the ex-offender watch list by a system of 3 Strikes. (Baseball pun intended) They shall be placed on a lifetime permanent ban list be it regionally, nationally, or internationally.

The temporary ban list and the subsequent ex-offender watch list shall over time weed out hooligans. Thus reducing public fights and potentially riots from occurring in the first place. If street gang member affiliations are listed as offenders their temporary ban can be doubled or tripled in order to send a clear message. That street gang members are not welcomed to attend public spectator events.

Another couple of items before I close this entry. Back on 2001 Superbowl in Tampa Florida at the Tampa Buccaneers football game a security technology firm deployed 22 security facial recognition camera's at "Raymond James Stadium".

Article dated January 31st 2001:

http://www.sptimes.com/News/013101/TampaBay/Cameras_scanned_fans_.shtml

How facial recognition portable units are helping Florida Pinellas county (Clearwater) police dated July 21st 2009.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1019492.ece

The 2012 European Soccer Championships being held in Poland and Ukraine. Where hooligan prevention is of major concern, dated March 27, 2011.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14927025,00.html

I hope this proposed security concept can be a technological and civil safety aid to any mass public gatherings in a self-contained environment. Be it a a sports complex, a musical performing arts hall, or a civic convention center.