Behavioural Threat Detection Essentials for Event Staff

• Specialised for Event-Based Security Challenges

This course addresses the unique demands of high-traffic environments including concerts, festivals, stadiums, and corporate functions, equipping participants with adaptable skills tailored to rapidly changing conditions.

• Proactive Threat Identification

Participants will learn how to detect concealed weapons, identify signs of duress or deception, and interpret behavioural indicators linked to smuggling or aggression, providing critical lead time to prevent escalation.

• Counter-Deception Tactics

Through an in-depth examination of Perception Disruption Techniques, the course prepares attendees to identify and neutralise common psychological strategies used to bypass security attention or redirect resources.

• Operationally Focused

Delivered by experienced instructors with backgrounds in military, close protection, and behavioural analysis, the course places strong emphasis on field application and real-world relevance.

LO1: NVC Analysis & Threat Detection

Master the art of reading subtle body language cues to identify threats before they escalate. Use NVC and behavioural analysis to detect hostile intent, deception, concealed items, and smuggling activity.

LO2: Perception Disruption Techniques (PDTs)

Explore common tactics used to manipulate or distract security teams, including feints, dead catting, straw man arguments, and smokescreen scenarios. Learn how to recognise and respond effectively.

LO3: Crowd Control & Epicentre Management

Develop the ability to assess crowd behaviour, monitor collective emotional energy, and identify specific epicentres where threats are most likely to materialise.

LO4: Situational Awareness & Contextual Cues

Enhance your ability to operate effectively within complex environments by accurately interpreting situational and contextual indicators.

LO5: Operational Integration: The NVSAT Spotter Role

Apply newly acquired skills in a structured operational framework, learning how to function as a behavioural spotter within an event security team.

Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate in Certificate in Threat Detection Essentials for Event Staff, demonstrating practical understanding of nonverbal communication, situational awareness, and hostile intent detection in event environments.

The Event Threat Detection & Behavioural Profiling course is designed for anyone involved in planning, managing, or securing events; from security teams and stewards to event organisers, providing practical skills to spot potential threats and ensure public safety.

• Event Security Personnel: Professionals responsible for securing entrances, monitoring event perimeters, or responding to dynamic incidents within high-footfall environments.
• Crowd Safety and Control Officers: Individuals charged with maintaining order and public safety during large gatherings or high-risk occasions.
• Venue Security Managers: Decision-makers overseeing strategic deployment of security resources and the management of crowd-related incidents.
• Close Protection Teams: Practitioners operating in protective roles within crowd-dense settings requiring enhanced behavioural insight.
• Corporate or Public Event Coordinators: Personnel responsible for the safe delivery of public-facing events who seek to integrate behavioural security practices into their operations.

This course is ideal for those looking to elevate their event safety capabilities with practical skills that enable them to proactively assess threats, monitor crowd behaviour, and maintain control in high-footfall, high-pressure environments.

Foundational Security Knowledge

A basic understanding of security operations is recommended to maximise course benefit.

Experience in Operational Environments

While not essential, prior exposure to event, venue, or crowd-related security roles will enhance comprehension and practical application.

Commitment to Skill Development

The course requires active engagement and a willingness to apply psychological and behavioural frameworks in real-time scenarios.

Basic English Proficiency

Since the course materials and instruction are provided in English, participants should have a good understanding of the language to engage fully with the content.

• Behavioural Threat Detection

Identification of suspicious behaviours, pre-incident indicators, and concealed threat signals through nonverbal analysis.

• Psychological Disruption Tactics (PDTs)

Recognition and neutralisation of deliberate attempts to confuse, distract, or overwhelm security responses.

• Epicentre and Crowd Profiling

Techniques for mapping group dynamics, assessing crowd energy levels, and pre-emptively identifying points of instability.

• Nonverbal Cue Recognition

Interpreting body language and gesture clusters linked to smuggling, aggression, stress, or concealment.

• Situational and Environmental Awareness

Improving awareness of the broader operational environment and identifying changes that may signal emerging threats.

• Operational Deployment: Spotter/Operator Role

Integration of all course components into an active, field-based security role with an emphasis on covert and overt observational techniques.

Click on either the ‘Buy Course £245 GBP’ button in the page banner (NOTE: the button will only be visible if there are dates showing in the Course Calendar), or you can select the required ‘Sign Up’ button in the Course Calendar at the bottom of this page. This will take you a course booking are on our Partner site (VIRSEC.org). You will need to create an account before continuing. Please then select the course date and make payment via the eCommerce gateway. We will confirm your booking within 48 hours. If you wish to pay by an alternate method, please email us at: [email protected] and we will respond accordingly.

At Special Projects Group, we offer competitive bulk discount pricing for companies and organisations looking to purchase our courses for multiple employees. Whether you’re equipping a small team, staff, workforce or even an entire crew, we provide scalable pricing options to suit your training needs. Discounts are applied based on the number of participants, with greater savings available for larger groups. To discuss your specific requirements and receive a personalised quote, please contact our training coordination team by email at [email protected], and one of our team will happily assist you.

“… Gaz is a highly personable and human instructor, and despite his wealth of non-verbal analytical skills he does not sit you down for psychoanalysis. I felt at all times at liberty to ask questions and delve deeper into a topic, despite the fast pace. The callbacks to intelligence and police work in Afghanistan give a sense of urgency to the theoretical precepts of non-verbal threat detection, showing N-VSAT is actually tradecraft and not hypothesis ….. This course brings focus to the state-of-the-art in behavioural science rather than relying on the tea leaves of micro-expressions, placing emphasis on reading context, environment, and deviations to pinpoint actionable threats in a crowd. The ANPA and ANOTA mnemonic cues should be essential learning for event stewards and staff, and deserve a place in The Purple Guide and NaCTSO training. The SPG team clearly enjoy what they do, and their commitment to excellence shows in all aspects …” Testimonial By: David