Promoters urged to go high-tech on security

Entertainment promoters are being urged to stop treating security as an afterthought and start using technology to keep troublemakers in check before another party spirals out of control.

Rayon Wong, a project manager and veteran event coordinator, says promoters should be pouring money into CCTV, motion sensors and facial-recognition systems to protect patrons, artistes and their brands.

“You have to invest in your security in order to protect your brand,” Wong told THE STAR.

His suggestion comes amid growing concerns over security at entertainment events following a shooting at Big Wall a few months ago, and a brawl at a recent Zimi Seh party at Puerto Seco Beach in Discovery Bay, St Ann

The police are now investigating the incidents at the Zimi Seh party. The Jamaica Constabulary Force has appealed to people who witnessed or were involved in those incidents to come forward with information, photographs or video recordings.

Meanwhile, Wong, who has more than 30 years of experience in Jamaica’s entertainment industry, and overseas, said CCTV can give security teams eyes in places where guards may not have a clear view.

He recalled coordinating an event where cameras were installed across the venue and a police officer was assigned to monitor the feeds.

“That’s how we caught some people trying to jump the back gate,” he said.

Motion-sensitive cameras were also used to detect movement in areas where intruders might try to sneak in. The surveillance system covered the venue from the entrance to the stage, including key “pressure-point” areas where problems were more likely to occur.

For Wong, the biggest advantage is not simply having cameras — it is having someone watching them in real time.

“Having the technology and somebody actively watching can detect accidents, harm or any form of breach,” he said.

But Wong believes the security chain should not stop with guards and cameras. He wants promoters to train DJs to act as an extra set of eyes and ears when trouble erupts.

DJs, he said, should know how to respond during emergencies and communicate clearly with security personnel, instead of becoming distracted by the chaos.

“Promoters should coach their DJs on what to do when there is an emergency,” he said.

Wong said his three decades in the business have exposed him to almost every type of party disaster.

“I’ve seen where patrons kick down gates, jump walls, fights break out and shot fire. I’ve seen it all,” he said.

One of Wong’s most ambitious proposals involves the use of facial-recognition technology that could identify repeat troublemakers and prevent them from entering events operated by the same brand.

According to Wong, cameras at entrance points could automatically flag a banned patron, allowing security personnel to intervene before the individual gets inside.

He said the technology has already been tested by one of the brands with which he has worked and proved effective.

“It’s a game changer in the entertainment space,” he said.

Wong said promoters should not wait for the next incident before asking how it happened.

“We cannot continue to wait until something happens and then ask what went wrong. The technology is there, so why not use it to protect the patrons, the artistes and the brand?”