Venue Guide for Security Considerations

As the Sector Risk Management Agency for Commercial Facilities, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is committed to partnering with venue operators in mitigating the threat of targeted violence and preparing for potential incidents. In collaboration with industry experts and security professionals, CISA developed the Venue Guide for Security Considerations. Applying the guide will enable venue operators to effectively identify and manage risk. This guide serves as a broad catalog to support safe and secure day-to day operations and event management planning and execution.

The Venue Guide for Security Considerations serves as a broad catalog to support safe and secure day-to-day operations and event management planning and execution. This guide aims to help venue operators enhance safety, protect assets, and create secure environments through effective security measures and best practices. The guide:

1. Provides guidance for venues, such as evaluating security measures, complexity levels, costs, options, and threats mitigated by these measures. By balancing these factors, venues can create a secure environment for operators and guests.
2. Recommends broadly applicable considerations for evaluating security practices, such as assessing measures and improving physical security compliance to ensure staff and visitor safety.
3. Offers actionable guidance for prioritizing the most effective security practices and proactively reducing the risk of major threats.
4. Provides venue operators with a tailored menu of security options, allowing them to select the most suitable and effective measures for their venue’s budget, size, location, and risk factors.

This guide outlines physical security considerations at venues and special events. These guidelines help conduct risk assessment analysis to identify and address site-specific security vulnerabilities. Reviewing and applying these security considerations will help venue operators to become proactive and meet physical security expectations.

The Venue Guide for Security Considerations is:

• Voluntary: The security measures outlined in this guide are optional considerations to enhance security posture and risk tolerance, but they do not place any obligation on venue operators. This information can and should be tailored to the needs of each individual venue.
• Not Comprehensive: The guide offers a core set of security considerations and mitigations that are broadly applicable, but it does not identify all physical security considerations needed for venue operators. Before implementing, consider the type of venue and the unique challenges it faces and create a personalized risk management strategy.