Thwarting Swatting

Welcome Law Enforcement Early 

The best practice for managing a swatting threat is to prepare before a critical moment arrives. 
Prior preparation is the single most effective way to improve an FEC's response to swatting calls and other threats.

This begins with establishing a strong relationship with local law enforcement before a crisis arises. An FEC should develop—and maintain—a strong working relationship with its local law enforcement and other authorities having jurisdiction.

Best practices include:

• Inviting emergency personnel to visit an FEC facility on a regular basis for a tour and conversation.
• FEC managers should show authorities evacuation exercises, participate in tabletop exercises, and discuss further emergency response drills. These are often held in the morning before a facility opens to guests. 
• Engage with first responders during the planning stage of major expansions or modifications, like adding a new addition. 
• Offer opportunities for law enforcement to conduct their own training exercises, for example, inside an FEC’s laser tag arena when appropriate.
   

These activities can familiarize law enforcement with a facility’s access routes, operational procedures, and personnel. Pre-emergency visits establish trust and credibility before an emergency occurs. 

Develop an Emergency Action Plan

FECs should develop a comprehensive emergency action plan that addresses a variety of emergency scenarios, including swatting incidents.

The plan should:

• Be flexible enough to address multiple threat scenarios, from swatting to severe weather (i.e., when should outdoor miniature golf courses and bumper boat attractions close when weather radar indicates a thunder storm with lightning is approaching).
• Clearly define notification (and escalation) procedures to senior managers and owners.
• Identify communication protocols for not only employees, but also for guests.
• Define how the FEC will activate, manage, and ultimately conclude the incident response.

“We want to urge anyone who encounters something suspicious to call 911 and let law enforcement determine if there is a threat or a crime taking place,” says the OCSO.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Homeland provides this bomb threat checklist that operators should familiarize themselves with. 

Conduct Training Exercises

FEC operators should train frontline employees—those who are most likely to receive a threatening call—with tactics on how to calmly respond. These staff members should be given a set of instructions and a script to follow should they take a threatening call. 

To familiarize associates, FECs should schedule time to conduct tabletop exercises. These can be done in a common space, like food and beverage areas, prior to opening for the day. Local law enforcement agencies can assist in these training drills while adding a layer of expertise. 

FEC owners and managers should stay connected to current events and learn from incidents that occur throughout the attractions industry. This includes social media, where AI-generated images circulate serving as an invitation to unorganized or sanctioned mass gatherings, often labled as a “teen takeover.” Operators need to recognize this information should be shared with law enforcement immediately so a facility and law enforcement can formulate a coordinated response ahead of the event. 

Holding relevant lessons ensures planning before a crisis can assist FEC managers when staying current. Ahead of a swatting incident, well-trained FEC facility staff should be ready to assist first responders by:

• Sharing current operational status (i.e., how many guests are at the facility; the number of employees at work; how many birthday parties are in progress; how many guests may be using go-karts; the posted facility closing time, etc.)
• Providing authorities having jurisdiction with access to CCTV and other security systems.
• Knowing how to turn off background music and silence television monitors showing sporting events.
• How and when to access a public address system. 
• Knowing how to operate lighting panels as to increase brightness in traditionally dark areas, like bars, bowling areas, and laser tag arenas.

Information sharing can support first responders with informed decision-making, preventing delays when timing is critical. 

Fostering a Culture of Vigilance

It’s essential that an FEC promote a culture in which every employee understands their role in maintaining safety and security. All employees should feel empowered to report suspicious behavior and report unattended items. Operators need to encourage staff to "Say Something" if they "See Something” without a threat of retribution.

Facility managers also need to reiterate to staff it’s important to remain alert without creating unnecessary concern among guests. This can be done by training FEC staff to hold sensitive conversations outside the earshot of a guest. Quietly conversing will prevent a cause to panic.

Following an incident, it’s important to hold structured, after-action reviews to identify lessons learned and look for improvement opportunities.

Maintaining a layered security program using complementary layers of protection can ward off problems before they begin. These include uniformed security patrols, access to control systems, guest and employee screening procedures upon entry to the facility, the use of CCTV coverage, and emergency communications systems. A layered security approach can improve overall situational awareness and strengthen an FEC's ability to assess and respond to potential threats.

Following 2026 swatting events at zoos, the AZA put out this document for zoo and aquarium leadership, security personnel, HR managers, communications professionals, and operations teams. All operators can benefit from the information enclosed.