Inspectorate calls for government review of public safety at events

The government should carry out a review of the arrangements for public safety at events, a new report from the policing inspectorate has found.

In the report, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has highlighted that while there has been progress in safety arrangements at sports grounds since the 1990s, the safety framework for other public events is insufficient.

This follows an inspection commissioned by the Home Secretary to look at the contributions police forces make to safety advisory groups (SAGs) and other bodies responsible for public safety. SAGs are forums, made up of representatives from the local authority, event organisers and other relevant bodies, for discussing and advising on public safety at events.

The inspectorate found that the absence of legislation, statutory guidance and regulation for many public events, such as music festivals and cultural celebrations, is leaving the police wrestling with widespread inconsistency. Inspectors said that this inconsistency extends to police funding for public events, making it harder for the public to be kept safe.

Too often, HMICFRS found that the way that police forces and SAGs planned public safety operations was inconsistent and lacked clarity about the roles and responsibilities different organisations take in keeping the public safe.

The inspectorate is therefore calling on the government to carry out a wide-scale review of the arrangements for keeping the public safe at events.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer OBE QPM said:

“The warning we heard from too many people on this inspection is that it is a question of when, not if, public safety at an event will go wrong.

“We are concerned that the lack of legislation and statutory guidance for non-sporting events is leading to widespread inconsistencies in the police’s public safety operations. They, and the public, deserve clarity so that police forces can work with local authorities and event organisers to protect the public.

“That is why we are calling for the government to carry out a review of public safety arrangements at events and the wider issues our inspection raises. This review, alongside the wider recommendations we make, will help make vital improvements to event safety.”

The inspectorate also found that:

• the way SAGs across the country operate varies significantly with some local authorities not operating SAGs at all;
• guidance and training do not adequately prepare police commanders to work with SAGs;
• the lack of a safety certification regime or regulation for most public events is creating further inconsistencies; and
• the Purple Guide, which sets out the roles and responsibilities for event safety, overstates the legal responsibilities of event organisers while downplaying the important role of the police and other emergency services.

Alongside calling for a government-led review, HMICFRS has made another 36 recommendations. The recommendations are designed to provide clarity for police forces so they can collaborate with local authorities and event organisers effectively. This includes:

• improving the training for police officers and staff involved with planning for public events and working with SAGs;
• strengthening the guidance for police forces and SAG chairs and attendees, including on the management of critical incidents;
• making sure there are robust quality assurance processes for the use of artificial intelligence in risk assessments;
• clarifying the funding that police forces can access for safety operations at public events; and
• developing a national police support function for events and introducing a national risk assessment matrix for all public events.