Safety challenges are some of the most crucial problems in today’s Europe. Security stakeholders still lack sufficient technology solutions. As the SHIELD4CROWD team, we decided to take action to positively impact this area.

Our project is designed to help security operators and security forces make informed decisions when investing in advanced security technologies. SHIELD4CROWD aims to lay the groundwork for a further Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), under which modern tools to tackle major security issues will be developed. Before moving to the PCP phase, it was essential to define the technology use case and related security challenges, which will serve as a reference point for potential PCP activities.

Final Use Case: Terrorist Attack and Disinformation

We are pleased to announce that the SHIELD4CROWD final use case is defined as the “Terrorist Attack and Disinformation at a Transportation Hub.” Thanks to the involved project partners and the User Observatory Group members, we selected this topic as the most challenging in maintaining security in public areas. Involved parties decided that more technologies are needed to support work related to this area.

We encourage you to read the detailed description of the use case below:

Three armed terrorists arrive at a busy train station during peak hours intending to harm civilians. They position themselves strategically among the crowd with weapons (firearms and knives) undetected by security. As a train arrives, they begin their attack, firing at passengers and using knives on nearby individuals. Passengers flee or seek shelter while security staff engage the terrorists and emergency protocols are activated. Security neutralises two terrorists, but one escapes amidst the chaos. False reports of another attack spread, complicating evacuation and increasing panic. The escaped terrorist when spotted stabs bystanders, and is fatally shot by police. Medical staff care for the wounded, and investigators gather evidence. Authorities work to dispel misinformation and restore order.

After thorough analysis to identify a common challenge for an upcoming Pre-Commercial Procurement, the project consortium has defined two potential challenges for a follow-up PCP:

• 1st PCP to address the challenge of the step Detect / Alert → Development of a technology to detect weapons (knife, firearms etc.) and suspicious behaviour without disrupting the crowd flow in public spaces such as public transport environment.
• 2nd PCP to address the challenge of the step Assess / Follow → Development of a technology to ensure strong coordination and cooperation between all the stakeholders (mainly law enforcement agencies): digital twins, hypervision, real-time event mapping, communication, social media screening, crowd simulation, etc. 

How We Learned About the Security Use Case

As we informed in our previous articles, with significant help from potential end-users of technologies supporting the security of public areas, we defined common threats and security processes related to crowd management in Europe. Security scenarios were then proposed and converted into ten use cases. The team then selected three common security use cases most relevant to current issues faced by stakeholders.

Convergence towards a single use case was driven by two work streams. The first involved establishing and maintaining contact with technology solution suppliers throughout the convergence process. These providers were directly involved during the Open Market Consultation (OMC) event on 15th May in Warsaw, Poland, to provide feedback on the technological needs defined by project members and the User Observatory Group.

The second work stream consisted of evaluating and challenging the identified technological needs against market realities. This approach allowed the SHIELD4CROWD consortium to use convergence votes to identify the most relevant technologies capable of meeting the defined needs at various steps of the use cases. To prioritise the scenarios, 21 organisations voted in the convergence session following the OMC event in Warsaw. This group included ten project members and 11 UOGs, all contributing to the selection of the final use case.

You Can Benefit from a Follow-Up PCP

We provide you with the opportunity to play a crucial role in procuring R&D services and contributing to the development of the above-mentioned PCP project following the SHIELD4CROWD actions. If you are a security operator or a representative of a security force interested in these solutions, join the Public Buyers Group (PBG) by contacting us at nina.czyzewska@ppbw.pl. Learn more about the PBG here.

Photos from the OMC event in Warsaw