Public spaces are an integral component of cities and generally provide the connectivity between venues, buildings and critical infrastructure within cities, whether in the form of roads, pedestrianised areas, parks or facilities open to the public at certain times. As such, public spaces provide the necessary accessibility and social recreation that inhabitants require.

However, the events of September 11 and the continuing threat from global terrorism, have led to profound changes taking place in the public spaces of our cities. Many attacks have been focused on public and particularly crowded spaces, raising concerns about safety and security.

As a consequence, cities have been forced to rethink issues of public accessibility, open space design and perimeter building protection. The redesign and retrofit of public space to create a secure public realm has been extensive in many cities and security measures, whether through CCTV, bollards, fencing and barriers or the creation of gated communities, have become a permanent part of the landscape.

The critical issue facing cities and planners in this respect is how to achieve the right balance between security provision and accessibility.

• We provide expert strategic support for end-to-end delivery of safety and security for public and private spaces.
  
  
• We provide expert assistance in delivering the physical security footprint for public and private spaces.
  
  
• We provide expert assistance in delivering appropriate security technology, such as CCTV, ANPR and biometrics.
  
  
• We provide expert assistance to security agencies to manage the respective security footprints, through effective command and control.
  
  
• We provide expert assistance to organisations to develop and test their state of emergency preparedness, through such issues as contingency planning, crisis management and business continuity.