Return to cities sparks safety and security concerns

New research has revealed that 75 per cent of people have health, safety and security concerns when visiting their nearest city, signalling a need for new security innovations and greater public reassurance.

Following high profile cases such as the disappearance of Sarah Everard, the London Bridge terror attack, and recent road cyclist deaths, the public has a heightened awareness of the safety and security issues cities present, according to a new report into public perception of smart cities by video management solution provider Milestone Systems.

Although the UK's terrorism threat level was downgraded from ‘severe’ to ‘substantial’ in February 2021 by Home Secretary Priti Patel, following a ‘significant reduction’ in the momentum of attacks in Europe, terrorist activity remains a worry for 17 per cent of the public.

Terrorism was of markedly less concern to those over 65 than any other age group (eight per cent vs average of 17 per cent), but for all other safety concerns there was a surprising consistency across both age groups and genders.

To mitigate these concerns, smart technology is already being deployed in cities across the world to improve safety and security. Increased bandwidth afforded by the rollout of 5G and the internet of things have given local authorities new tools to improve public services such as crime-fighting.

In Glasgow, for example, there is an effective multi-faceted state-of-the-art traffic and public safety management system that uses data and video analytics to improve responses to issues in the city, but Milestone’s research suggests that the existence and benefits of smart technology in cities needs to be better communicated to the public.

Neil Killick, UK General Manager at Milestone Systems said: “Many local authorities have been investing heavily in recent years in cutting-edge smart technology to improve public services and the tackle safety and security concerns highlighted by our report. However, the research found that less than a third of people say that they believe smart city technology could contribute to enhanced safety and security.

“This demonstrates a need for more public education around how smart technology improves safety in cities, and also suggests that local authorities need to continue to find new ways to improve day to day life for their city’s residents and visitors. The sector is advancing rapidly and products are available to tackle a wide range of city-based safety concerns so it is important to improve understanding so that citizens give their full support to smart city technology and feel safer and more confident when in urban areas.”