CTA Began Studying Extra Security Layers for CES After Nov. 13 Paris Attacks, Chupka Says
The Consumer Technology Association began looking into the enhanced CES security measures it announced Dec. 17 immediately after the Nov. 13 Paris terrorist attacks (see 1512170062), Karen Chupka, senior vice president-CES and CTA corporate business strategy, told us earlier this…
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month. The announced measures include the strictest policy on bags ever enforced at CES, outdoing even the security at the January 2002 CES after the Sept. 11 attacks. That year's security included bag searches, but no bag restrictions, and no metal-detector pat-downs (see 0111010038). With the Paris attacks, “we realized we would have to start relooking at our plans, and looking at what was going to make sense to upgrade” CES security, Chupka said. “The one thing we did differently this year is that we’re looking at restricting the size of bags,” she said. “The fact is that if we are doing searches, we need to be able to move people through as quickly as possible. We just can’t have huge backpacks with thousands of pockets because that just slows everything up.” The new CES rules bar luggage from show facilities, and rolling bags of any size, including laptop bags. Attendees also are limited to two bags per person, each no bigger than 12 x 17 x 6 inches. CTA is working “with different people” to put the enhanced security steps into practice, Chupka said. She doesn’t know how many entry checkpoints will be at each CES venue and whether any entry points that were open at past CES events now will be closed, she said. “I don’t have that answer yet because we’re still working through all the different plans as far as where we’re going to have different access points,” she said. “But for the most part, most of the things that we’ve had open in the past, we will try to keep those major areas open.” CTA will try to maintain “secured areas” between adjacent CES buildings to minimize security disruptions on showgoers, Chupka said. “When you’re coming out of the Westgate, for example, and you’re coming into the North Hall, we’ll keep a secured area so you won’t have to go through another checkpoint there,” she said. However, for those moving to the Venetian from the North Hall, rescreening will be required “because that’s a separate building,” she said.