Stadium security test proves successful

by Wally Northway

Published: November 25,2009

HATTIESBURG — A game-day test of video surveillance by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi was successful, according to center leaders.

On Nov. 21 NCS4 served as a test lab for two major video surveillance companies in conjunction with the Southern Miss-Tulsa football game at M.M. Roberts Stadium. A set of seven scenarios were scripted beforehand and a group of “actors” participated in the exercise designed to test the video technology and emergency response time.

“We successfully completed evaluating our sport security laboratory protocols,” said NCS4 director Lou Marciani. “In addition, based on the feedback from subject matter experts, we successfully conducted impartial assessments and validations of two video surveillance solutions based on the needs of the sports security community.”

Surveillance companies Avigilon and Pixel Velocity supplied the 12 high-definition cameras used in the lab test. Five security experts served as subject-matter evaluators for the test.

Despite rainy conditions, NCS4 representatives, test evaluators, campus police officers and other area law enforcement officials were able to detect and monitor “suspicious” activity included in the scenarios. The exercise served as the launch of the national lab at NCS4 in which sophisticated testing of that nature will be conducted on a regular basis.

Established in 2006, the NCS4 is the only sports security training organization of its kind in the United States and remains the recognized leader in addressing potential threats and risks to the safety and security of sporting events.

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