NCS4's CSSP Program Now ANSI-Accredited

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at The University of Southern Mississippi's Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) certification program has earned accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Personnel Certification Accreditation Program. ANSI's accreditation program is recognized as a world-renowned leader in personnel credentialing.

"Earning ANSI accreditation is an exciting milestone for our certification program and a great achievement for NCS4," says director of certifications and compliance Elizabeth Voorhees. "I believe this distinction will help strengthen the CSSP credential and elevate professional standards in the sports security profession."

The intent of the CSSP certification program is to establish standardized competencies among individuals holding leadership positions in the sport event security management field and to ensure that these individuals have a comprehensive understanding of the legal, managerial and operational underpinnings of the sports and special events safety and security profession.

The target audience for the CSSP certification includes current sport event security professionals and professionals in the related areas of law enforcement, emergency management, event management, venue/facilities operations, public safety, government, risk management and private security, among others. The certification helps these professionals to chart the course of their career by engaging in continuing education and professional development activities, and allows them to distinguish themselves in the marketplace.

This ANSI accreditation process is designed to increase the integrity, confidence and mobility of certified professionals. Since the launch of ANSI's Personnel Certification Accreditation Program in 2003, the institute has accredited 58 personnel-certification bodies for 178 certification programs across a range of industry sectors involving more than 5 million people.

"ANSI commends NCS4 for achieving accreditation and demonstrating its commitment to the continual improvement of its certification program," says Dr. Vijay Krishna, director of credentialing programs at ANSI. "Accreditation by ANSI demonstrates compliance to a rigorous internationally recognized accreditation process and creates a valuable market distinction for these credentials."

Professionals in the field of sports safety and security are recognizing the value of attaining the CSSP certification. "The CSSP certification is the premier credential for individuals in the field of sports safety and security," says Paul Turner, director of event operations and security for AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. "Becoming CSSP-certified recognizes you for demonstrating high levels of experience, competence and ethical fitness in the security profession."

Attainment of the CSSP is a valuable asset to the career development of sports safety and security professionals, and to the organizations that employ them. These organizations represent different sectors of the sports and special events industry and share a common responsibility in providing safety and security for their events.

Since launching the program in 2014, NCS4 has certified 38 security professionals in the U.S. and Canada. To date, sport security professionals working in collegiate athletics have been the most active in the CSSP program. Security specialists in charge of event operations and venue management at professional sport facilities are a close second, and there continues to be a growing interest from professionals in the private sector who perform consulting work or risk management services, as well as other public safety personnel at-large.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of Gameday Security with the title "NCS4's Certified Sport Security Professional program now ANSI-accredited"