Abstract
South Africa will host Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) 2010 Soccer World Cup but there exists a tourist safety concern due to high crime rate in the country. The Soccer World Cup tends to attract hooligans that instigate fights in the venues. Some European countries have experienced the problems with hooliganism (destructive behaviour of soccer fans) and they have implemented measures to manage this threat. However, a country like South Africa that is already perceived by tourists as unsafe needs to implement measures not only to manage hooliganism but also to ensure tourists’ security against crime. Police visibility, surveillance and intelligence data gathering by law enforcement agencies were identified essential for crime prevention along with a national safety and security plan. Furthermore, proactive participation from industry associations such as accommodation, restaurants, etc. will assist in crime prevention against tourists. The authorities should communicate the safety tips to tourists through printed literature that will prepare tourists in preventing crimes against themselves. Additionally, the safety perception of the destination could be managed through proper media communication. Spectators’ safety is another security concern which can be addressed by placing restrictions on carrying harmful material in the stadium and implementing security checks at the entrances.
Top 10 Global Best Practices
1. Create a national tourism safety and security plan
There should be an integrated national tourist safety and security plan to protect tourists across the country. For example, if one region is superior in tourist safety and security but right outside the city there is high crime rate against the tourist, the reputation of the whole region or the country is affected. Most tourists refrain from travelling to unsafe places due to word of mouth feedback from friends and relatives. These feedbacks build a perception in the minds of travelers for a region being unsafe to travel to. A national tourist safety and security plan will synchronise the efforts of local enforcement agencies. Furthermore, such plan will bring consistency in safety and security measures around the country in different venues of the tournament.
The following recommendations will assist in implementing the plan:
· Involve organising committee: The event organising committee should be part of the planning committee for the national safety and security plan. Since this is a special event which needs information from the organising committee on its requirements, the organising committee can share the information with the security authorities with respect to the venue, number of foreign spectators expected, etc.
· Provide funding: The event such as Soccer World Cup should be considered important and proper funding should be provided for spectator safety and security.
· Information gathering: The organising committee along with national authorities should acquire information from other countries that have stages similar events and ask for recommendations. This information will further assist in forming an appropriate safety and security plan.
· Authority delegation: There should be an independent central command with authorities to decide on security measures for the event. This command deals with allocating resources to different regions and provides directions in case of disaster, crises and emergencies.
(DEAT, 2005; Donaldson & Ferreira, 2007; NCCPP, 2009; Pizam, Tarlow & Bloom, 1997; WTO, 1997)
2. Articulate rules and policies for security personnel
The national authority in consultation with the event organising committee and law enforcement agencies should lay out rules and policies to be carried out for security. The rules and policies should describe the actions that local authorities should take during various situations. There has to be a clear chain of command for reporting any issues. Furthermore, the rules and policies should also stipulate code of conduct for the security personnel. There will be thousands of security personnel scattered around the country in different tourist places, and therefore, it becomes critical that these security personnel are well trained and follow the rules themselves. These personnel are the points of contact with the tourists or spectators. Moreover, South Africa and other countries like it have been plagued with corruption. Therefore, an anti-corruption and anti-racism policy should be a part of overall rules and policies. Furthermore, the security personnel’s use of excessive force could lead to major conflicts between fans and authorities which, could also lead to bad publicity.
The following measures will assist in implementing proper rules and policies:
· Information session for security personnel: The rules and policies decided for the event should be explained to the law enforcement agents through special information sessions. This gives the attendees a chance to clarify any doubts they might have regarding any of the rules and policies.
· Rules & policy handouts: The law enforcement agencies should be provided with a handout of the rules and policies. Therefore, the personnel can refer to it whenever needed.
· Use of weapons: The use of deadly weapons such as guns or any other form of weapons such as taser guns should be prohibited. There should however, be clear rules and policies regarding use of the weapons carried by law enforcement agencies.
· Record keeping: The security personnel should be required to maintain a record log for any incidents that they encounter. The information should include the date and time of the incident, names of the parties involved, the issue, names of witnesses and contact numbers of these people. Therefore, if a complaint is received against an officer involved, all parties could be contacted to obtain the facts.
· Restriction to sharing information: The law enforcement agents should be restricted from sharing the information on any incidents with other parties, especially media. The personnel should direct the reporters to the designated media spokesperson.
(De Maria, 2008; Grillot, 2008; Home Office, 2006)
3. Ensure appropriate police visibility
Research indicates a negative relationship between number of police officers on streets and number of crimes that take place in a specified region. The police officers not only need to be firm towards crime but should also be sensitive towards the special needs of the tourists. The officers should realise that the tourists are easy targets for crimes. Therefore, the officers should know how to comfort the tourist victims of a crime. High police visibility will be required around the busy market areas, stadiums, fan parks, restaurants, accommodation establishments, and any other tourist areas during a sporting event. A dedicated security force for the event also helps the region to cope with additional resource requirements. Moreover, considering the history of gang fights during soccer matches, it is highly recommended to have riot police on standby to defuse such fights right at onset. However, care should be taken in the handling of hooligans as they tend to react to police actions to draw attention and humiliate the opponents.
The security personnel might comprise of local and national law enforcement agents, private security personnel, and reserve forces, etc. The personnel in these various agencies are trained but they usually work in their separate areas of expertise and have different jurisdiction. A Soccer World Cup is a different and uncommon event in a country like South Africa which requires these employees to be informed about possible threats such as hooliganism. Based on the information collected from other countries that have staged similar events, a short training module should be created.
Additionally, the following measures will help in preparing law enforcement agencies for special events,
· Training police officers in dealing with crime against tourists.
· Setting-up tourist friendly police stations where a tourist victim does not have to go through long procedures. This would make them feel comfortable with approaching police with their complaint.
· Intercity co-ordination between law enforcement agencies. The sharing of information will help avoid similar situations in other venues or cities.
· Co-ordination with national law enforcement agencies. This could also work as a mechanism in sharing information across the country.
(Barker, Page & Meyer, 2003; Braun & Vliegenthart, 2008; Donaldson & Ferreira, 2009; Pizam, Tarlow & Bloom, 1997; Tarlow, 1999; Tarlow & Santana, 2002; Walker & Page, 2008; WTO, 1997)
4. Encourage participation from stakeholders
The beneficiaries of tourism in a region include various business owners, associations, residents and communities at large. Therefore, efforts should be made to develop a security program in consultation with these various stakeholders who are a part of these communities. Proactive participation of the stakeholders will help prevent crime. Preventing a crime through proper measures will reduce the need for more police resources. Furthermore, there should be a joint training program to train the private security personnel in the industry by the police department. The security personnel will be more effective in their jobs with police department’s training. For example, the training will help security personnel maintain incident record with required details which could be shared with law enforcement agencies right away when asked. The police department can also guide local business owners in implementing appropriate safety measures at their individual business.
The following recommendations will help implement effective stakeholder participation:
· Involving local communities and businesses in the security planning process for an event. Especially, the accommodation sector that can help warn tourists to refrain from going to high crime areas.
· Information sharing mechanisms between law enforcement agencies and industry stakeholders.
· Law enforcement agencies should show trust in the private security personnel.
(ICPC, 1997; Pizam, Tarlow & Bloom, 1997; Tarlow, 1999; WTO, 1997)
5. Use technology for surveillance
An event such as the Soccer World Cup draws thousands of fans from around the world. This makes it difficult for the host nation to arrange appropriate levels of man power for invigilating all the areas to provide security to the overwhelming number of tourists. Therefore, the use of technology such as the Closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera helps the law enforcement agencies to keep surveillance going twenty four hours a day. Furthermore, the presence of CCTV cameras discourages criminal activities. Moreover, during the soccer matches, the cameras can help keep an eye on spectators in the stadium in real time to prevent fights from a centralised control room. Additionally, CCTV cameras make spectators and tourists feel safe.
The following recommendations will assist in using CCTV cameras:
· Locations to be installed: Major public places, inside and outside the stadium, public transportation system, and any other major tourist places.
· Visibility: One of the main purposes of the CCTV camera is to prevent crime. Therefore, the cameras should be placed high to prevent any temperance to them but clearly visible to the public to deter criminals from committing crimes.
· Dummy cameras: Installing and operating the CCTV cameras can be a very expensive endeavour for a region. Therefore, the use of dummy cameras on visible spots will still serve the purpose of preventing crime.
· Legislation: The state or regional legislation should permit the use of this system. The legislation should also allow use of the records and images from this system in prosecuting criminals. Furthermore, consideration should be given to privacy laws, human rights, data access, and freedom of information provisions.
· Expert opinion: The authorities should involve experts in video production technology to purchase and implement CCTV systems.
(Hier, Greenberg, Walby & Lett, 2007; ICPC, 1997; NCCPP, 2009)
6. Appoint media liaisons
The media plays a crucial role in shaping the perception of tourists towards a destination. South Africa is already dealing with the perception of being unsafe due to the high crime rate in the country. The Soccer World Cup will assist the country to change that perception if the event goes through safely. The world media will cover the event which will be watched by millions of viewers worldwide. Therefore, it becomes crucial in managing relations with the media.
The following recommendations will help achieve this objective:
· Media liaison: The organising committee should appoint a media relation committee which would arrange press conferences from time to time to give updates and success of the tournament. The committee should also be in-charge of media communication on any emergency or crises.
· Information transparency: The committee should try to be transparent with sharing information with the media. This would avoid any unwanted or hypothetical rumours from published, especially during crisis. Information should be shared constructively with reassurance on recovery measures taken for safe and security.
· Media priority: Media not only needs to be informed but needs to be informed on time. Any delays in notifying media about an incident could lead to irreversible mixed information out to public.
· Building relationships with media: Good relationships with the media will help avoid any mixed information being published. The media should realise that they will be the first to get information as soon as it is available and that the committee should hold that trust.
(Braun & Vliegenthart, 2008; Donaldson & Ferreira, 2009; Pizam, Tarlow & Bloom, 1997; Tarlow & Santana, 2002; Walker & Page, 2008; WTO, 1997)
7. Create a central list of hooligans
One of the major challenges identified in hosting a Soccer World Cup is managing hooligan fans of the teams. Many countries in Europe have encountered riots during soccer matches caused by fights between fans of competing teams. Germany and the UK maintain a list of potential fight instigator fans in their country. In the UK, the people on this list are restricted from going to a soccer match for three (3) years. Furthermore, they are restricted from travelling abroad when their team is playing in other countries. Part of this initiative is possible due to stricter stance taken by the government on fan hooliganism which causes life and property damages. Considering the experience of these two countries in handling hooliganism, a country like South Africa has to be prepared for such an event in a similar ways.
The following are recommendations to implement the central database:
· Tickets with printed name: The tickets sold should hold the name of the ticket holder. This will help to identify the person on a seat who initiates a fight. It becomes difficult to know who started the fight through CCTV camera footage with just video; if security can identify the seat number then they can know the name of the person.
· Maintaining the list in central database: The central command should maintain and update the list with names of hooligans based on incidents in previous matches in the tournament. Furthermore, it can be shared with venues and local security officials across the country and restrict the people on the list from buying or entering the stadium.
· Request information from other countries: As mentioned earlier, some countries such as the UK and Germany maintain such list. Therefore, the organising committee should request this list to prevent the venues from selling tickets to these individuals. This would be a preventative measure that does not require starting a new list. Perhaps such a list could be maintained by the FIFA who can then share it with the hosting countries.
(Council of Europe, 1999; ESPN.com, 2005; FIFA, 2006)
8. Provide information to tourists
Tourists tend to indulge themselves in risky activities when on vacations. This is also one of the main reasons for tourists being an easy target of crime. The national security authority should keep track of regional crime rates and make a handbook for tourists with preventative measures they can take to avoid being victim. This handbook might not prevent all the incidents but it will help to caution tourists mitigate the threat of being victim of a crime. Furthermore, the handbook should have information on each geographical region in the country such as places to visit, local culture, etc. and safety travel tips for each of them.
Some of the recommended information in the handbook should be as follows:
· Areas to avoid: The book can encourage tourists to restrict themselves from going to certain high crime areas.
· Attire: Victims of theft usually are wearing expensive clothing and jewellery. Therefore, the handbook should recommend appropriate attire to prevent crime.
· Emergency contacts: The handbook should have a list of emergency phone numbers that the tourist will need to contact in case of emergency. The book should have these emergency numbers for every venue of the event since the tourist will likely be travelling a variety of venues. Furthermore, there can also be a common national toll-free emergency number to call. The tourist should also be encouraged to report any suspicious activity or behaviour of others they might think unsafe.
· Languages: The handbook should be printed in different languages catering to tourists of the different countries.
Additionally, the handbook could be distributed through following sources:
· Embassies of the host nation in other countries where potential tourist might go for a tourist visa for the event.
· Tour operators and travel agents in other countries where people would go to buy package tours for the event.
· Airports and other port of entries where tourists enter the country. The custom officers could hand this book the tourist on their way in.
· Accommodations sector that provides lodging to foreign tourists. The tourist should also be given a local handbook at this point. The local handbook should cover the local conditions in more detail.
· Additionally, it should be available at all government offices such as police stations, tourist information centers, city halls, etc.
(Barker, Page & Meyer, 2003; SAPS, 2009; WTO; 1997)
9. Ban harmful material in the stadium
The importance of security at sporting events have changed in the post 9/11 era. Most of the increase in attention is to prevent terrorist attacks but some of the measures are to ensure public safety from any kind of harm including crime. Spectators in a soccer match have a higher probability of getting involved in fights initiated by hooligans. Therefore, to protect human life in an event like this there has to be a well articulated list of materials such as sharp objects, weapons, etc. that cannot be permitted in the stadium. Controlling a fight in a stadium filled with thousands of spectators is a difficult task which could further worsen if there are weapons.
Some suggested items that should be prohibited from the stadiums are, weapons of any kind; sharp objects, glass bottles, fireworks, flares, smoke powder, smoke bombs, alcoholic beverages, drugs, racist or political propaganda, restriction on banner poles size and kind, stools, folding chairs, flammable substances, gas spray cans, highly flammable pocket lighters, large quantity of paper, laser pointer, megaphones, and any other objects which could compromise public safety and security. Furthermore, alcohol consumption makes spectator behaviour undesirable. Hence, sale of alcohol should be banned or restricted if possible in the stadium. Especially, it has been witnessed that most of the spectators already have alcoholic drinks before they come to the game. Moreover, people under heavy influence of alcohol should not be allowed to enter the stadium.
The following recommendations will assist in effectiveness of this measure:
· The list has to be articulated and distributed to the ticket holders at the sale of tickets.
· The lists should clearly indicate consequences of carrying any of these items in the stadium.
· On the day of event, there should be enough signs at the stadium entrances reminding the spectators of these restrictions.
· The security personnel at the entrances should check bags or other carry-on material brought by spectators for the prohibited things.
· There should be metal detectors and scanners to check the incoming spectators.
(Barker, Page & Meyer, 2003; Council of Europe, 1999; ICPC, 1997; UEFA, 2006; UEFA, 2008)
10. Gather intelligence information
Efforts should be made to gather information from various sources on possible organised crimes or any other threats to tourists and spectators in or outside the stadiums. The local law enforcement agencies have to perform this function to safeguard tourists in their region. Moreover, this information should be shared with the central command center that can take a proactive approach in other regions on similar threats. Managing this information is another crucial task for the authorities as there will be various data sources such as telephone records, crime incident reports, custom records, etc. The national security authority should install information technology software to manage this data in real time. This will reduce the response time for the authority to act on possible threats.
Recommendations for data gathering are as follows:
· Local law enforcement agencies should encourage the local community to report any suspicious activities and any information they might think could lead to crime.
· Undercover police is another effective form of gathering intelligence data.
· Analysis of existing historic crime data will also provide patterns and similarities of crimes. This could be used in focusing police function on certain activities in the region.
· A 24-hour hotline for people to call with information.
(Bentenuto, 2000; Chen & Xu, 2006; McGarrell, Freilich, & Chermak, 2007)
*** References available upon request
