One way PCMA Convening Leaders draws more than 4,000 people to register for a conference at the beginning of the year is by booking high-profile, controversial-in-some-circles speakers such as former U.S. representative and author Liz Cheney, who took to the stage in Houston this year a call for elected officials who are “serious, listen and act in a way that is respectful and substantive.”
PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat characterized the decision to showcase outspoken speakers as important for health of civil society. “Unless we hear different points of views, we will be trapped in our own little paradigms and that that could be very dangerous,” he said.
But hosting presidential candidates brings a price beyond their speaking fees. Limitations on the size of bag that can brought into the general session led to multiple long-snaking lines and pleas from stage to be kind to the security guards manning the checkpoints. “We will continue to provide that level of security to make sure that our people are safe,” said Karamat.
He predicted that elevated levels of security at all events will evolve to be more seamless and less costly to balance safety and comfort. Until then, PCMA turned the experience into a conversation to help event organizers struggling with how to keep everyone safe and feeling welcome at their events.
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Houston Police Department Executive Chief Thomas Hardin, a former Homeland Security employee, spoke at a breakout session about “Pro Strategies for Safeguarding Your Events.”
The highlights were captured by PCMA’s Spark AI tool Snapsight. Following may be some measures to consider at your next critical conference to be prepared for any imaginable threat and those yet unimagined. He emphasized the critical balance between robust security and maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
Security Checklist
A Layered Security Approach: Blend visible measures with covert strategies such as plainclothes officers.
Access Control: A combination of sophisticated concealed weapons detection, AI-based visual gun detection, wristbands, facial recognition and QR codes can ensure only approved attendees are in the building.
Breaking News: Geopolitical headlines, such as the terrorist attack that happened in New Orleans in the weeks before the PCMA conference can heighten tensions and influence where security resources are placed.
Cultural Awareness: Hiring security consultants who speak multiple languages and employing tools such as Google Translate can help manage a global audience.
A Safety Partnership: Relationships with venues and local law enforcement, improving both security effectiveness and emergency response times.
Cybersecurity: Meeting professionals can work with federal agencies to monitor digital threats to event systems and attendee data.
