Crowd Control Strategies

Events and crowds go hand in hand, and a sound crowd control strategy can mean the difference between a successful event and mayhem. Although certain crowd control strategies are universally applicable, others are employed in specific situations. Those responsible for crowd control can also vary greatly by situation. At a college event, crowd control might fall to college-aged volunteers; for pro sporting events, an experienced professional security staff might be used; and for public demonstrations, crowd control is by professional law enforcement or the military.

Basic Strategies

• Certain components of crowd control strategy are universally recommended by experts. For instance, identify the makeup and motivations of the expected crowd ahead of time to anticipate challenges it might present.

  Also have the crowd control staff uniformly dressed so that it's easy for them to be identified by each other and by the crowd. Have a system in place for them to communicate with one another, and also have a ready way to communicate instructions and warnings to the crowd, such as a public address system or megaphone, depending on the crowd's size.

  Make sure there are ample entrances and exits at the event and that they remain unobstructed. If tickets must be taken or identification checked for entrance, have enough staff members at entrances to keep the crowd moving smoothly.

Indoor Events

• For indoor events, designated thoroughfares must be clearly marked and kept free of obstruction. Know the venue's occupancy limits, and have the staff keep precise track of the number of people allowed inside to ensure that this limit is not exceeded. Also, have a staff member remain in close proximity to the lighting controls so that all lights can be instantly brought up in an emergency.

Retail Stores

• Retail stores have been implementing crowd control strategies for year for events such as Black Friday --- the traditional start of the holiday shopping season --- or the release of popular new items. One strategy is to remain open the entire night before so that crowds don't have an opportunity to form while waiting for the store to open. Another is to issue "one each" tickets that ensure customers' ability to purchase popular items that might run out or be scuffled over. Some stores even serve free refreshments to crowds waiting to enter.

Law Enforcement and Military

• Law enforcement and the military use specific formations of advancement for crowd control. These strategies are aimed at moving the crowd to a certain area, splitting the crowd up to enable dispersal or to herd the crowd into one manageable area where it can be surrounded and detained.

  Some examples of these formations are the line, in which officers approach the crowd in a tight horizontal line; the echelon, in which officers enter the crowd in a diagonal formation; and the wedge formation, which looks like a triangle pointing away from the crowd.

  Under certain circumstances, law enforcement agencies also employ the use of non-lethal means of dispersal such as chemical gas, sound cannons and rubber bullet rounds.