STADIUM BEAT: Los Angeles Police Department officers stand watch at an entrance to Dodger Stadium. (Getty Images) Changes could increase hiring from private security companies With calls to defund police departments supported by a segment of the public in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, many in our industry are asking how such measures could impact venue security. Though some are demanding the more extreme measure of abolishing the police entirely, most are calling for a reallocation of funds, a movement that is starting to gain momentum in cities including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Portland and Minneapolis. Officials in these metropolitan areas say 90% of the police budget is spent on salaries and defunding will inevitably lead to staffing issues. “This has some really significant implications,” said Mike Downing of Prevent Advisors (a division of Oak View Group, VenuesNow’s parent company). “The… Continue Reading What Defunding Police May Mean for Venue Security