Major concerts and sporting events are getting high-tech in the name of security, going beyond standard metal detectors with everything from drones to 3-D mapping to keep attendees safe.
The eye in the sky will be real when the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicks off its twin weekends this Friday at the Empire Polo Club, where Indio Police will use drones for the first time in the festival’s history, according to Sgt. Dan Marshall.
Some potential uses of the technology at Coachella, which runs Friday, April 13, through Sunday, April 15, before an encore April 20-22, include looking at traffic flows and pedestrian movement outside the festival grounds.
There’s a chance drones could be used inside the festival if a public safety issue arises, Marshall said, but the plan will be to rely mostly on officers inside the venue.
Drones have been used in previous years by the festival for footage and for a light show.
On the security side, the inclusion of drones at this year’s festival is part of a yearly tradition to implement new measures, Marshall said.
“That’s just what makes this festival so unique,” he said. “Everybody is always trying in every way, shape and form to make it better.”
Marshall said the primary focus every year is to ensure public safety.
“We believe that we can achieve that through a balance of providing the best security we can without the appearance of it being overbearing,” he said.
The tools will also be in place for Coachella’s sister event, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which happens April 27-29 at the polo field.
Coachella and Stagecoach producer Goldenvoice did not respond to a request for comment. However, it addressed security in the frequently asked questions section of the Coachella website.
“We work hand in hand with relevant law enforcement and public protection agencies to help ensure the safety of our event, but because of those very same concerns, we are unable to publicly comment on any specific actions which are taken,” the website stated.
In the wake of deadly concert shootings, including at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas last October where dozens were killed, some event promoters have looked at implementing new security measures and technology.
Industry experts on a panel at the National Association of Music Merchants trade show in Anaheim in January talked about a universal set of security standards and a two-minute video announcement to help people become aware of their environment.
Participating in the discussion was Jesse Hughes of the Palm Desert-rooted rock band Eagles of Death Metal, which was playing at the Bataclan in Paris, France, when 89 people were killed in a terrorist attack in November 2015. He suggested the potential of using strobe lighting or sonic booms to distract mass shooters in case an attack occurred.
Others in charge of securing music festivals and sporting events are looking at technology from Esri, a Redlands-based company that provides mapping and spatial analytics software, to assist with security. Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the San Francisco 49ers, is among several venues that use the products.
For many years, security and police relied on two-dimensional maps to track traffic, weather and the movement of items such as a cellphone or GPS-enabled radio, said John Beck, Esri’s global law enforcement industry manager.
In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, more have thought about the benefits of three-dimensional maps, Beck said.
“You’re really able to see where somebody is in that 3-D model,” he said.
The technology has also advanced to provide security and police with line of sight, giving them the ability to pick a point on a map and see its vantage point.
And where is security headed in the future?
Beck said he expects to see wearable technology that will essentially allow users to look around and spot things they might see on a map.
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FESTIVAL SAFETY TIPS
Sgt. Dan Marshall offered some tips for those attending Coachella.
Write it down: Jot down important phone numbers on a piece of paper in case your phone dies and you cannot retrieve the contact information for your friends. Doing this will mean you can use another phone to reach your pals.
Find a place: Pick a pre-determined location such as an art installation or the Ferris wheel. Agree to meet your friends there if you cannot find them after a certain period of time.
Don’t get lost: If you can’t remember where you parked, try to remember whether you parked on grass or dirt. It will make it easier for police to help you.
Source: Sgt. Dan Marshall, Indio Police Department
