Many organizations and businesses require crowd control. Every major police force in the United States has crowd control capabilities, as well as most outdoor concert venues and political rallies. Four of the major crowd control apparatus are: stanchions, barricades, fencing and windscreen. Movie theaters, post offices, museums, art galleries, airports, automobile showrooms and many more everyday locations use the tools that will be explained here.

Stanchions
Stanchions are essentially just pillars used to contain people and crowds of all sizes. They can be temporary or permanent, movable or stationary, and can be varying heights and made of a variety of materials. For example, the red carpet at the Oscars is flanked by stanchions made of brass, supporting a velvet rope to separate the media for the celebrities. Similar stanchions are often found in museums and auto showrooms to keep patrons and prospective customers from damaging the art or merchandise. Airports, post offices and theaters also utilize these pillars.

Barricades
Barricades are some of the most common forms of crowd control and can be found pretty much everywhere. If there is a severe auto accident, often times the police will erect a barricade to keep the public away from the scene. Same thing goes for a crime scene. They are often barricaded to prevent contamination or tampering with possible evidence. If there is an important visitor to a given town, barricades are often placed strategically around the city in order to help make security easier for security.

Fencing
Much like a barricade, fencing is a way of separating crowds or keeping people within or without of an area. The difference is, portable fencing is much less permanent than a barricade. For example, at a concert venue, often times a fence is erected to keep people from sneaking into the show for free, as well as to ensure the relative safety of concert-goers. However, near that stage, something more secure should be used.

Windscreen
A windscreen is often utilized for privacy, such as around a country club pool. It helps ensure the privacy and tranquility of the people within the screened area, as well as keeping the area calm from the wind. A windscreen is often attached to an existing fence, and is also often found around tennis courts, as the wind has been known to affect the trajectory of the ball.