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Special Event Security Staffing Form

Special Event Security Staffing

The primary purpose of special event security staff is to provide a reasonably safe and secure environment. University Police (UP) will collaborate with the event sponsors to plan safety and security measures. If an accident, injury, disruption, or criminal incident occurs, on-duty personnel will respond and take appropriate action.

Assigned security staff is prohibited from performing certain tasks, including but not limited to: 

  • Ticket taking or ushering
  • Verifying individuals’ University status and/or legal drinking age
  • Collecting of ticket moneys

How to Request Staffing

Requests for security staffing can be submitted to UP for events such as concerts, speakers, and athletic activities. UP will conduct a risk analysis and provide the requester with a cost estimate.

To request security staffing, complete a Special Event Security Request Form, which you will need your NetID and password to access. Please note: a request form must contain a valid department budget chart string or Student Organization Financial Office (SOFO) billing account number. Event sponsors who are not affiliated with Northwestern can request the form by emailing upevents@northwestern.edu and will later receive an invoice for security services. 

Required Notice for Scheduling Special Event Security

UP needs as much notice as possible—at least 3 weeks in advance—in order to arrange security staffing. If you are unsure whether security staffing is necessary, please contact us. Some factors that will need to be considered are: 

  • Alcohol is being served
  • Live music/DJ
  • Expected attendance 100 or more
  • Open to the public
  • Event topic

Schedule Changes and Cancellations 

Any change to the scheduled event hours must have prior approval from UP. If the requesting party reduces the scheduled event hours without approval, the requesting party will be billed for the security staff hours originally scheduled and approved. 

UP reserves the right to alter staffing hours for an event if necessary. The final cost will be based on the actual hours worked by UP or the contracted security staff.

Cancellations must be received by UP at least 5 days in advance of the event to avoid a minimum charge. For example, if the event is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, a cancellation notice must be received by 11:00 p.m. on the Monday prior to the event to avoid minimum charges. 

Table of cancellation charges
Notice Time Charge

More than 5 days

$0

8 hours to 5 days

Flat fee for each officer scheduled to work

8 hours or less

Full amount

UP cannot be responsible for unforeseen circumstances such as adverse weather conditions, speaker cancellation, equipment failures, etc. 

For questions, please email upevents@northwestern.edu.

  Special Event Security Form