Gwent Police’s Ryder Cup Challenge - Up to 50,000 daily spectators, the Prince of Wales, former US presidents and Tiger Woods. All located across a vast area and with a heightened security threat.
One recent event demonstrates how Excelerate Technology’s command, communications and wireless video technologies are transforming the way emergency services plan for and manage high profile events and incidents. That event is the Ryder Cup, one of the highest profile sporting events in the international calendar.
The Ryder Cup was held recently at the Celtic Manor Resort golf course in Wales. Attending the event, spread over a large scale area, were former US presidents, the Prince of Wales, the deputy Prime Minster, Tiger Woods and tens of thousands of spectators, all at a time of heightened security alerts.
Responsibility for the security of the event posed a daunting challenge for the police force charged with managing the event – Gwent Police - and supporting the force was leading UK satellite broadband, communications supplier Excelerate Technology.
Using Excelerate’s command communications solutions, both within their Incident Command Units and in the field, Gwent Police were able to adopt a highly advanced, joined-up ‘digital incident ground’ approach to covering every aspect of the event’s security, from complying with the stringent security requirements of the US Secret Service details responsible for each ex-president’s security, to preparing for any eventuality on the course or off it.
With body-worn cameras and radios (carried by police officers riding mountain bikes) along with Sherpa video surveillance of key locations, Excelerate’s unique solutions enabled Gwent Police to develop new ways of ensuring event security, preparing for any eventuality, and obtaining the most cost-effective deployments of their officers over a wide area.