Event Security and Leadership

Reviews / Votes

"This remarkable book provides something new. It is written from a practical viewpoint, a reflection of operational and lived experience of crucial and often dangerous events.

The structure of the book provides practitioners with ideas and even solutions for every situation they might encounter. At the same time it is founded on a solid conceptual and academic base.

It will be an important addition to my library." Alex Carlile, Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE KC, House of Lords

"In today's world, safeguarding large gatherings is no longer a straightforward assignment. The risks we face are multi-layered and constantly evolving, political unrest, cyber disruption, organised crime, environmental challenges and the lingering consequences of health crises all converge to test even the most experienced of professionals. When communities come together, whether in celebration, competition or remembrance, the margin for error is slim. The responsibility to protect those moments is immense.

That is why I could not be more supportive about this book by Dr. Michael McDonagh and Charles Swanson. I have had the privilege of working alongside both men over the years, and I know firsthand the depth of insight and judgment they bring. Charles' operational knowledge, forged through demanding roles in military policing and counter-terrorism, blends seamlessly with Michael's extraordinary career, nearly five decades at the heart of policing and international event protection, including his widely respected leadership within Formula 1. Together they cover the full spectrum: from immediate tactical decision-making to the strategic foresight needed to prepare organisations for tomorrow's challenges.

We have seen, tragically, how gatherings can be exploited by those intent on causing harm. The Manchester Arena attack in 2017 remains an ever-present reminder of what is at stake: lives devastated, communities traumatised, and a nation forced to confront the inadequacies of its protective arrangements. From such tragedy emerged Martyn's Law, a critical step forward in shaping how public safety is approached in the UK and beyond. This book engages with those hard lessons, not by repeating familiar arguments, but by equipping professionals with actionable guidance, leadership practices, collaborative models and tested frameworks that actually work under pressure.

What impacts me most is the authors' refusal to accept 'good enough.' They challenge the reader to think more clearly, prepare more thoroughly and act more decisively. This is not an abstract treatise, it is a practitioner's guide written by two people who have lived these challenges on the ground and at the highest levels of command. Their examples range from world-class sporting spectacles to local cultural events, showing how principles scale and adapt across contexts.

I have no hesitation in saying that this volume is essential for anyone with responsibility for protecting people in public spaces. It inspires confidence without downplaying the reality of the threats we face. It reminds us that while dangers persist, so does our capacity to anticipate, innovate and lead.

Michael and Charles have produced something rare: a book that will influence not just thinking, but practice. I wholeheartedly endorse it and I believe it will make a genuine difference in how events are secured, lives are protected, and trust in public safety is sustained." Donald Randall, MBE

"I wish this book had been written many years ago. As an example of learning from experience and using that learning as a guide for the leadership and delivery of safe, secure events, it is in a class of its own.

But I am also totally convinced that its value is not confined to guiding those charged with delivering pre-planned events. During my policing career I was privileged to hold leadership roles, at various levels, in a wide range of different contexts. From a riot in Brixton in 1995, the funeral of the Princess of Wales in 1997, to the murder of 52 people in the terrorist attacks in London in 2005. The following year saw the dismantling of a plot to kill thousands of passengers on transatlantic airliners, and the state-sponsored murder by radioactive material of Alexander Litvinenko.

Many of these events had novel features, with huge risks for the public and the police alike. Many of these had not been foreseen or planned for. The experience, knowledge, wisdom and deep perception that characterises this important book, makes it abundantly clear that we must never look at existing plans as the finished article, but always be prepared to be flexible, sometimes think the unthinkable, and look to the future. We must also recognise that risk elimination is rarely, if ever, a sensible or realistic objective.

I am also delighted to see that a golden thread throughout the book is the need for partnerships and multi-agency work based on respect, shared understanding of roles and requirements and strong personal relationships. Anyone who was involved in the response to the terrorist attacks in London in July 2005 will attest to the importance of those relationships - many of which remain to this day.

The journey from where events 'just happened' with little or no planning frameworks to where we are now with a statutory framework and a regulator is brilliantly set out by the authors. Martyn's Law and the new regulatory role of the Security Industry Authority are undoubtedly important developments.

However, equally important is the explicit recognition that compliance with statute or regulation is neither the beginning nor the end of the journey for leaders and planners. Compliance in itself will rarely deliver excellence. The book is absolutely right when it insists that operational planning and delivery must be dynamic, capable of adapting to changing circumstances, informed by reliable, timely information, and led by people with an unwavering focus on the strategic goals.

While serving as HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, I often saw squalid, violent, drug infested prisons. They brutalised prisoners and made them more likely to reoffend on release. All too often I was met with the response from the Prison Service that the jail was being run in accordance with policy. In other words, it was compliant and never mind that in reality it was making the public less safe. Compliance in itself must never be allowed to become an overriding strategic goal.

There is so much that can be said about the real value of this book. It is detailed, it is credible, it is based on real-life learning and experience and is hugely authoritative. It should be close to hand for planners, leaders, practitioners, officials, regulators and academics alike. I wholeheartedly commend it." Peter Clarke, CVO OBE QPM LL.B