Comic Con security plan requires creativity and attitude in San Diego.
- Comic book characters, superheroes, villains, and zombies.
- Downtown San Diego Convention Center location.
- High foot-traffic tourist area co-mingles cars, trucks, trains.
- Adjacent to Gaslamp Entertainment District and bars.
- Costumed characters carry real and realistic fake weapons.
- Interview with KNX Radio 1070am Los Angeles.
Show Host Tom Reopelle.
Podcast Time Stamps:
[01:30] — Special events usually held in contained areas with access control.
[02:05] — Special event security needs to separate vehicles from pedestrians.
[03:00] — World mass murder incident awareness for Comic Con Security.
[05:10] — Interview Tom Reopelle KNX Radio 1070am Los Angeles.
[05:50] — Comic Con Security versus costumed Super Heroes and Zombies.
[06:00] — Costumed characters carry weapons and interact with them.
[07:30] — Fear that strict Comic Con Security will change the fun-factor.
[08:00] — Co-mingle trucks, cars, and trains with 200,000 pedestrians.
[08:45] — San Diego Police will tag and zip-tie both fake and real weapons.
[09:25] — Comic Con Security plan based on incident response scenarios.
[10:30] — Terrorist win if stricter security changes the nature of Comic Con.
[11:15] — Police respond to unusual noises, activities, screams, and reports.
[12:00] — Extra first-responders are staged nearby for fast response.
Comic-Con Security Captures a Zombie
Comic Con Security Plan Challenges
- High-profile convention event may attract terrorist and mass murder.
- Recent terrorist attacks in London and Manchester raise the alert level.
- Downtown San Diego location is a high traffic tourist area.
- Car, trucks, trains, and pedestrians co-mingle over a weekend.
- 200,000 comic fans attend, many in costume and character makeup.
- Superheroes and villains wear costumes carrying realistic weapons.
- Some costumed guests act-out aggressively in fantasy role-playing.
- Party atmosphere and alcohol service in nearby Gaslamp bars.
- Police and security must balance response and attitude to an event.
- Should police ban toy weapons or embrace the playful props?
- San Diego Police and Comic-Con Security to tag & zip-tie weapons.
- High-alert to vehicle attacks like Nice, London, and New York City.
- Many convention activities occur on public streets late into the night.
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