Last Updated: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 MJ Crowd Safety: Crowd Management Strategies on CTV Canada AM Updated: Monday, July 06, 2009 Crowd management may determine the success of the memorial service for Michael Jackson. Logo: Canada TV Canada AM (c) Canada TV interviewed Crowd Management Strategies' Paul Wertheimer today about the crowd safety plan for tomorrow's Michael Jackson Memorial Service in Los Angeles. Mr. Wertheimer expressed confidence that the event would be successful if organizers and police kept to their previously announced approach. As for crowd safety on the streets, he dismissed the Los Angeles police department's suggestion that upwards of 700,000 people could swarm to the Staples Center and Nokia Theater where the service will be held. Asked what could be done if such a crowd did appear, Mr. Wertheimer replied, "Nothing." He has already gone on the record as recommending the event be canceled if the police had a true belief that this was likely. Three quarters of a million people in the area of the event would be unmanagable and likely end in crushing and chaos. Mr. Wertheimer again recommended that all seats for the memorial service be reserved to prevent crowd crazes that could develop if people are forced to compete for seating. In addition, all entrance doors should be open and signage outside the venue should be used to help guide ticketholders on the grounds and into the venues. Since this is an international event, interpreters may also be needed. Police and organizers would also do well to stop announcing the size of non-ticketed crowds anticipated to try to reach Tuesday's memorial site area, or as near to it as they can get. Publicly estimating crowd size---100,000 or more---as police have already done, will be interpreted by Michael Jackson fans as an invitation. In other words, The Los Angeles police department could be creating, or helping to create, the very crowd problems they say they wish to avoid. [ home ][ crowdcafe ][ new ][ crowdshop ][ contact ] Crowd Management Strategies © 1997 - 2006. All rights reserved. Crowdsafe is a registered trademark of Crowd Management Strategies © 2006.