Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SAFE-CITIES (riSk-based Approach For the protEction of public spaces in European CITIES)
Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2023-10-31
Over the past decades, Europe has experienced several terrorist attacks, proving that this threat is still real and serious, while perpetrators are finding new methods to penetrate current security measures. Although grave attacks have so far been rather infrequent, it is still a reality that EU citizens may be suddenly caught up in a terrorist incident, while at the stadium, shopping in a mall, commuting, visiting a cultural venue, or in any other public space. Besides, more terrorist attacks are associated with lower levels of life satisfaction and happiness among the EU population. One in five people in the EU are indeed very worried about a terrorist attack in the next 12 months. Terrorist attacks also lower EU citizens’ trust in fellow citizens, national political, legal and police institutions.
SAFE-CITIES aims to support excellence in the protection of public spaces, by delivering and demonstrating a Security and Vulnerability Assessment framework, empowered by a decision-support platform for its implementation, in 4 use-cases across 5 EU countries. This will allow for simulation of complex scenarios, crowd behaviour and attacks in any space within a realistic virtual 3D environment, enabling end-users to perform comprehensive and dynamic risk and vulnerability assessments of the site investigated, to identify potential vulnerabilities against a wide number of threats and support the full engagement and cooperation of public and private actors, including citizens, into the elaboration of strategies, to make public spaces secure while preserving their open nature.
The Consortium brings together 18 partners from 9 countries (Italy, Cyprus, Netherlands, Greece, Poland, UK, Belgium, Finland, Slovenia). To effectively carry out the 26 months project, the project team includes local and regional authorities, Police authorities, First Responders organizations, RTOs and academia, CSO, security industry cluster association, and high-tech SMEs specialised in security.
SAFE-CITIES aims to support excellence in the protection of public spaces, by delivering and demonstrating a Security and Vulnerability Assessment framework, empowered by a decision-support platform for its implementation, in 4 use-cases across 5 EU countries. This will allow for simulation of complex scenarios, crowd behaviour and attacks in any space within a realistic virtual 3D environment, enabling end-users to perform comprehensive and dynamic risk and vulnerability assessments of the site investigated, to identify potential vulnerabilities against a wide number of threats and support the full engagement and cooperation of public and private actors, including citizens, into the elaboration of strategies, to make public spaces secure while preserving their open nature.
The Consortium brings together 18 partners from 9 countries (Italy, Cyprus, Netherlands, Greece, Poland, UK, Belgium, Finland, Slovenia). To effectively carry out the 26 months project, the project team includes local and regional authorities, Police authorities, First Responders organizations, RTOs and academia, CSO, security industry cluster association, and high-tech SMEs specialised in security.
The following summarizes the activities performed and the main achievements made during the first 12 months of SAFE-CITIES.
WP2 "SAFE-CITIES Security and Vulnerability Analysis Framework" significantly advanced the SAFE-CITIES Security and Vulnerability Analysis Framework, combining theoretical insights with practical tools, community engagement, and ethical considerations for comprehensive urban security. Main achievements:
• Development of a 12-step Security and Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) framework, validated and refined through workshops and hackathons in Gdansk and in Larnaca, for iterative testing and improvement.
• Successfully integration of SVA with urban planning, promoting an "urban security by design" approach, introducing theoretical and practical elements for safe public spaces through the 'Atlas – 4 safe public spaces design guiding framework.'
• Initiation of the SAFE-CITIES Participatory Model (SCPM), involving citizens in vulnerability analysis and planning, and conducting surveys on citizens' awareness and perceptions about security in public spaces.
• Examination of public-private collaboration, conducting a comprehensive survey among private security companies in 23 European countries, providing insights into legal frameworks, tasks, competencies, and experiences of private security in public spaces.
• Collaboration with ENLETS/Technology Interest Group, ensuring alignment with EU initiatives.
• Development of the “SVA tool”, beyond the General Assembly (GA) scope, facilitating practical implementation of the SVA methodology,
• Establishment of Local Citizens Networks (LCNs) in pilot sites (Gorizia-Nova Gorica and Larnaca), fostering community engagement.
The primary goal of WP3 "SAFE-CITIES Security Management Framework/Platform Backbone" is to construct a secure and adaptable platform backbone for SAFE-CITIES. This involves developing a common ontology, ensuring interoperability, and creating intelligent wizards. Here are the achievements:
• Completed and delivered D3.1 “SAFE-CITIES Platform Architecture Design.”; Established platform requirements and reference architecture ensuring consistency and quality; Developed a secure, agile backbone for seamless tool integration and data exchange.
• Successfully designed and implemented SAFE-CITIES Ontology, in OWL format, which acts as a semantic fabric enhancing interoperability, defining concepts and relationships across social, temporal, spatial, and urban security dimensions.
• Initiated the implementation of a standard ML/AI-tools infrastructure; Partially implemented symbolic AI solutions and agent-based machine learning approaches; Defined the physical architecture for integrating these technologies into the SAFE-CITIES platform backbone.
• Partially developed the SAFE-CITIES platform backbone for easy customization; Conducted experiments on containerizing components and implementing the AI/ML backbone.
WP4 "Continuous Development, Integration and Testing" dedicated efforts to the Continuous Development, Integration, and Testing of SAFE-CITIES' platform. This encompassed refining individual components, ensuring seamless integration, and rigorous testing. Main Achievements:
• Conducted regular meetings on integration, aligning with WP3 for efficient interoperability; Defined a two-dimensional (static and dynamic) platform based on the Unity framework, enhancing SVA execution; Performed initial integration and prototyping of some modules.
• Modules Development: 1. Scenario Builder & Serious Game Simulation: Implemented features such as configuration and multi-player roles; Demonstrated refined mock-ups, ensuring compatibility. 2. MAESTRO Platform: Developed a static SVA platform (SVA tool) with visualization and threat assessment. 3. Dashboards & Scoreboards: Introduced initial Dashboards for Static and Dynamic SVA results. 4. BIM Technology: Defined BIM classes, tested interoperability, and modelled Metropolis Mall.
• Organized workshop and hackathon events in Gdansk and Larnaca for hands-on testing by security practitioners; Applied SVA methodology to predefined scenarios, collecting valuable feedback.
• Analysed training needs and proposed programmes for security practitioners; Developed a draft curriculum integrating SAFE-CITIES outcomes, defining audience and content.
WP2 "SAFE-CITIES Security and Vulnerability Analysis Framework" significantly advanced the SAFE-CITIES Security and Vulnerability Analysis Framework, combining theoretical insights with practical tools, community engagement, and ethical considerations for comprehensive urban security. Main achievements:
• Development of a 12-step Security and Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) framework, validated and refined through workshops and hackathons in Gdansk and in Larnaca, for iterative testing and improvement.
• Successfully integration of SVA with urban planning, promoting an "urban security by design" approach, introducing theoretical and practical elements for safe public spaces through the 'Atlas – 4 safe public spaces design guiding framework.'
• Initiation of the SAFE-CITIES Participatory Model (SCPM), involving citizens in vulnerability analysis and planning, and conducting surveys on citizens' awareness and perceptions about security in public spaces.
• Examination of public-private collaboration, conducting a comprehensive survey among private security companies in 23 European countries, providing insights into legal frameworks, tasks, competencies, and experiences of private security in public spaces.
• Collaboration with ENLETS/Technology Interest Group, ensuring alignment with EU initiatives.
• Development of the “SVA tool”, beyond the General Assembly (GA) scope, facilitating practical implementation of the SVA methodology,
• Establishment of Local Citizens Networks (LCNs) in pilot sites (Gorizia-Nova Gorica and Larnaca), fostering community engagement.
The primary goal of WP3 "SAFE-CITIES Security Management Framework/Platform Backbone" is to construct a secure and adaptable platform backbone for SAFE-CITIES. This involves developing a common ontology, ensuring interoperability, and creating intelligent wizards. Here are the achievements:
• Completed and delivered D3.1 “SAFE-CITIES Platform Architecture Design.”; Established platform requirements and reference architecture ensuring consistency and quality; Developed a secure, agile backbone for seamless tool integration and data exchange.
• Successfully designed and implemented SAFE-CITIES Ontology, in OWL format, which acts as a semantic fabric enhancing interoperability, defining concepts and relationships across social, temporal, spatial, and urban security dimensions.
• Initiated the implementation of a standard ML/AI-tools infrastructure; Partially implemented symbolic AI solutions and agent-based machine learning approaches; Defined the physical architecture for integrating these technologies into the SAFE-CITIES platform backbone.
• Partially developed the SAFE-CITIES platform backbone for easy customization; Conducted experiments on containerizing components and implementing the AI/ML backbone.
WP4 "Continuous Development, Integration and Testing" dedicated efforts to the Continuous Development, Integration, and Testing of SAFE-CITIES' platform. This encompassed refining individual components, ensuring seamless integration, and rigorous testing. Main Achievements:
• Conducted regular meetings on integration, aligning with WP3 for efficient interoperability; Defined a two-dimensional (static and dynamic) platform based on the Unity framework, enhancing SVA execution; Performed initial integration and prototyping of some modules.
• Modules Development: 1. Scenario Builder & Serious Game Simulation: Implemented features such as configuration and multi-player roles; Demonstrated refined mock-ups, ensuring compatibility. 2. MAESTRO Platform: Developed a static SVA platform (SVA tool) with visualization and threat assessment. 3. Dashboards & Scoreboards: Introduced initial Dashboards for Static and Dynamic SVA results. 4. BIM Technology: Defined BIM classes, tested interoperability, and modelled Metropolis Mall.
• Organized workshop and hackathon events in Gdansk and Larnaca for hands-on testing by security practitioners; Applied SVA methodology to predefined scenarios, collecting valuable feedback.
• Analysed training needs and proposed programmes for security practitioners; Developed a draft curriculum integrating SAFE-CITIES outcomes, defining audience and content.