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Safety for People Attending Conventions (National Conference)

In summary, convention-goers are often targeted by criminals while attending events in large cities. While conferences and expos can be a mixture of business and pleasure, it is important to stay alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. This includes avoiding excessive drinking, not flashing expensive items, and being cautious when using ATMs. It is also recommended to avoid unpopulated areas and to take precautions with valuable items such as laptops. While crime can happen, the majority of convention-goers do not become victims.
Stampaholic1961
Gold Member
657
Paul Davis
On Crime & Security
Convention-Goers are Targeted by Crooks

I make an effort to attend the Police-Security Expo in Atlantic City every June.

I’ve been attending this gathering of law enforcement officers and security people for years. I look forward to sitting in on the informative and interesting seminars and meeting the cops and the security people from government and the corporate world. I also enjoy meeting the vendors and viewing the displays of the latest technology in crime-fighting.

During my time in the U.S. Navy and my years doing security work for the Defense Department, I attended numerous conferences in Washington D.C., Boston, Memphis, Baltimore, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Philadelphia, and many other locations around the country and overseas. I also helped plan and attended a good number of conferences with large and small defense contractors. As a writer I continue to attend as many conventions as I can, as I always pick up good material and interviews for my columns and articles.

The Police-Security Expo is a personal favorite of mine, partly because I always meet interesting people and glean new and vital information regarding crime and terrorism. But I must confess that I also like visiting Atlantic City’s beach, boardwalk, and casinos.

Millions of business people attend trade shows, expos, conferences and conventions each year. These gatherings are generally a mixture of business and pleasure for the attendee. Many convention-goers bring their spouses and make a mini-vacation out of it. Atlantic City, Philadelphia and other cities heartily welcome convention-goers, as they fill hotel rooms, eat in restaurants, go to shows, shop, and in the case of Atlantic City, they gamble.

Unfortunately, the welcome wagon also includes criminals.

Conventions, especially those held in convention centers located in the downtown areas of large cities, attract pickpockets, armed robbers, con artists and other criminals who prey on the convention-goers. (The exception being the Police-Security Expo, as only a truly dumb criminal would dare to rob a cop).

In the case of my hometown, Philadelphia, our modern convention center is in the Center City area, located only blocks from fine hotels, shops and restaurants, as well as the many historical landmarks that make Philadelphia a world-wide attraction for visitors. Crime is held at a minimum, as the police presence in this area is highly visible and effective. I’ve found this to generally be the case in other cities as well.

However, no matter how well the police try to protect convention-goers (they want you back next year, after all), criminals occasionally slip through and manage to pick your pocket, rob your hotel room, and otherwise ruin your convention-going experience.

Criminals, like sharks, stalk their potential victim and look for weaknesses. To avoid being victimized, you must observe the same safe practices you do at home – only more so. First and foremost, don’t look or act like a victim. You must be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.

Most importantly, moderate your drinking while attending conferences. As a former sailor, I have some nerve dispensing this advice, but I know that criminals simply love drunks. Falling-down, sloppy drunks are easy to manhandle, manipulate and take to the proverbial cleaners. If you are going to drink hearty, you should go out with a group and not go to bars and clubs too far off the beaten path.

Don’t flash jewelry or cash, never carry excess cash on your person, or leave cash in your hotel room, unless the room has a safe. You should also be especially careful when withdrawing cash from street corner ATM machines. ATMs provide criminals with a wide variety of opportunity, including robbery, purse theft and worst. Use the ATMs in and near the hotel and in well-lighted areas.

When walking down the crowded city streets women should carry their purse close their body and not dangle the bag by the strap, as these are easy to snatch away. Men should keep their wallets in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket. Never keep your wallet in your back pocket, where a pick pocket can easily lift it.

If you’re a runner or walker, ask someone at the hotel or convention center about popular running/walking routes. Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, overgrown trails and high-crime areas. Always trust your intuition. If you feel uncomfortable, get out of there.

Many convention-goers bring their laptop computers with them, but they don’t want to carry the laptop with them all day and night. Although you can place your jewelry and cash in a mini-safe, your laptop will be left out and vulnerable. You can replace a stolen laptop, but can you replace the data stored on the laptop? It pays to back-up your data, or if the data is sensitive or proprietary, remove it from the laptop before you travel and store it elsewhere.

Only a small number of convention-goers become crime victims. Most of the crimes involve thefts, but violent crimes have also been reported. So unless you’re attending a police convention and plan to be in the company of armed cops, it pays to be security-conscious.

Paul Davis is a writer who covers crime & security for newspapers, magazines and the Internet. He can be reached at [email protected]
 
Thanks for posting this!KG has posted similar info in the past, but it's always good to have a refresher. We're lucky in that HO provides transportation from official hotels to the convention center for us, so we aren't roaming the streets looking for cabs. But it still pays to be alert, aware, and careful.
 
The one thing that I recommend is don't wear your nametag when you are out in public--it does advertise that you are a tourist. Course I hate the nametags anyway--I hate those darn things hanging around my neck.
 
I was going to point out about the name tag. It's a big red flag that you may be from out of town. We walked from Navy Peir to our hotel last year and were amazed (well not really) at all the homesless people that were begging for money, food, cell phone usage (the story one guy told us was absolutely nuts). The best thing to do is just not talk to them, my best friend was almost robbed by a homeless person when she lived in Chicago. He asked for money and when she looked away from him to her purse, he grabbed for it and would have gotten away except she had it across her body instead of just over her shoulder. Another thing about your purse is to make sure you use one with a zipper and have it zipped at all times. A clustermate rode an airport van to our hotel and when the guy went around a corner, she said that he was so crazy about 5 people fell out of their seats, including her. She didn't realize until she got to the hotel, that in the fall, she lost her wallet out of her bag.
 
Oops, someone interuppted me and I had to post real quick.

Anyway, she lost her wallet and tried to call the police to file a report - what a joke! She was hoping that someone would have turned in her wallet (like the driver) but by the next morning two of her CC's had already been used at two different gas stations. It almost ruined her trip but she made the best of it.
 

What safety measures are in place for people attending the National Conference?

The safety and well-being of our attendees is our top priority. We have implemented a number of measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience at our National Conference.

Are face masks required at the National Conference?

Yes, face masks are required for all attendees at the National Conference. We will provide masks for those who do not have one, but we encourage everyone to bring their own.

Will there be hand sanitizer stations available throughout the conference?

Yes, we will have hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the conference venue for easy access. We also encourage attendees to bring their own hand sanitizer and use it regularly.

Are there social distancing guidelines in place for the National Conference?

Yes, we will be implementing social distancing guidelines at the National Conference. This includes spacing out seating arrangements and limiting the number of attendees in certain areas.

What should I do if I feel sick during the National Conference?

If you feel sick during the National Conference, please stay in your hotel room and contact a member of our staff for assistance. We ask that you do not attend conference events if you are experiencing any symptoms of illness.

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