Crowd control
Public security practice
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Materials such as stanchions, crowd control barriers, fences and decals painted on the ground can be used to direct a crowd. A common method of crowd control is to use high visibility fencing to divert and corral pedestrian traffic to safety when there is any potential threat for danger. Keeping the crowd comfortable and relaxed is also essential, so things like awnings, cooling fans (in hot weather), and entertainment are sometimes used as well. Thus, restrictive measures and the application of force can actually make crowding more dangerous, for instance during the Hillsborough disaster. For controlling riots and demonstrations, see riot control.
Specific products that are used to implement line management and public guidance in high traffic areas include retractable belt systems (which incorporate a stanchion post and the retractable tape) and wall mount systems (also incorporating a retractable belt but are surface mounted). Post and rope systems are also popular, especially in banks and theaters.
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History
The earliest form of crowd control was the riot line. This was the standard procedure from the 1920s to the 1940s, before the existence of dedicated crowd control police units. The formation consisted of ten to twenty officers in a line, typically armed with blunt weapons and wearing minimal protection. There were typically three to four lines, spaced twenty to thirty feet apart. The goal of these lines was to push back and possibly disperse the crowd. This usually resulted in fighting once the crowd contacted the riot line, and officer injuries often occurred.
Later in the 1950s, the first actual riot control teams armed with riot shields and batons appeared; the goal was for the riot shield officers to hold up the lines. When they came to actual contact with the crowd, the officers with the batons were supposed to help the riot shield officers. However, if deadly force was used against them, there was no training or procedure to counter this causing the officers to have to fend for themselves.
The 1960s and 1970s marked the invention and widespread use of the tear gas. However, with this new innovation, the officers were not used to operating in an environment where visibility was limited. The armor that they wore at the time was not as mobile. This results in that type of armor being rarely used.
A crowd controller is also another name for a bouncer or doorman.