Breaking New Ground: IcARUS Project to Unveil Innovations in Urban Security at Council for European Studies Annual Conference

In our pursuit of innovative, evidence-based, and human-centred approaches to urban security prevention, we are thrilled to announce the acceptance by the conference organisers of our plans to share IcARUS learnings at the Council for European Studies annual conference in July this year, in Lyon, France.

The University of York is delighted to have led on a collaborative bid for a special panel devoted to showcase the IcARUS project at this year’s conference. The panel brings together six consortium partners who will each provide a fascinating insight into their work on IcARUS, including: The University of York, The European Forum for Urban Security (Efus), The Centre for Security Studies at Hellenic Ministry of Citizen Protection (KEMEA), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Riga Municipal Police, and Stuttgart’s Inside Out e.V. The conference theme ‘Radical Europe: Violence, Emancipation and Reaction’ invites participants to speak to what ‘Radicality’ means to them; our panel will provide some of the first insights into the outcomes of IcARUS and how the project has strengthened our understanding of and approach to ‘Radicality’.

Focusing on one of the four main security priorities covered by the IcARUS project – namely the prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism – consortium members will provide first-hand insights into the innovative contributions to rethinking and adapting existing tools which are helping local security actors anticipate and better respond to security challenges. Following from an overview of the project, led by the University of York, Efus will begin our discussions by delving into the pivotal role of local authorities in addressing the complex issues of radicalisation and polarisation, shedding light on the effective interventions and strategies that local authorities can deploy. KEMEA will discuss the importance and process of co-creating, testing and validating tools for preventing radicalisation at the local level with end-users. This Design Thinking Methodology will be further elaborated by EUR who will speak to the importance of these locally-designed tools and their capacity to be transferable to other local contexts in the prevention of radicalisation. Our final two contributions are from two of our partner cities. Firstly, representatives from Riga will explore the future application of their tool to the realm of Incel culture as a form of Radicality. They will do this by sharing some of the key findings from their IcARUS tool which enables the collection and assessment of feelings of insecurity within local populations which they argue is a key step in preventing security challenges, such as radicality. Finally, Inside Out e.V. who are leading the development of the tool in Stuttgart will explore the application of the innovative tool ‘Trick17’, designed to increase resilience against the radicality of young people through magic shows.

The panel contributions will demonstrate how custom-made solutions to radicalisation have been developed, incorporating social and technological innovations, within IcARUS. They will posit the importance of preventative approaches informed by experience and academia, and the necessity of multi-stakeholder co-production, also exploring the challenges of these types of projects. The panel offers us an exciting opportunity to disseminate the findings of IcARUS with interested parties from across and beyond Europe. We look forward to utilising this opportunity to demonstrate the powerful impact our innovative tools to the urban security concern of Radicality can have.

Preventing local discriminatory violence: community initiatives

The fifth and final instalment of the IcARUS web conference series, held online on 21 September, focused on the local prevention of discriminatory violence.  

Representatives from the project’s partner cities (Rotterdam, Lisbon, Nice, Stuttgart, Riga and Turin), along with 30 other participants from various European local authorities and research institutions, discussed  their prevention practices and tools with the Director of Belgium’s International Centre for Equal Opportunities (Unia), Patrick Charlier.  

The City of Rotterdam presented its  Spaanse Polder Café scheme, whereby locals can meet with local police and authorities to discuss issues linked to organised crime. 

The City of Rotterdam representative asked Patrick Charlier for advice on how to address negative reactions stemming from differences between groups, and asked for examples of approaches that help foster collaboration among diverse groups.

Patrick Charlier mentioned the Le Choix Égalité  tool, which is based on examples in education, police and the justice system from Flanders and Wallonia,  The tool is available in French, Dutch and German (but not English).

He also mentioned that research shows that contact improves knowledge and tolerance between diverse groups. A prior study from Unia on LGBT issues revealed that exposure to different nationalities fosters greater tolerance towards the LGBT community.

Another issue discussed during the web conference is how to prevent profiling and biases among police forces. 

Patrick Charlier mentioned a year-long research-action project during which a researcher was embedded with the Brussels police to detect and examine ethnic profiling and bias. Based on this study, Unia drew up a series of recommendations, including: 

• Acknowledge that ethnic profiling happens
• Facilitate the reporting of issues 
• Encourage police to be open about their actions so they can better  connect with the public
• Stress the importance for police to explain  their daily work to avoid misunderstandings
• Urge management to take action against wrongdoing without overlooking it to prevent a culture of acceptance
• Emphasise that review services are not just for control but also for providing help and support.

Relevant links related to this topic (in French only):

• Les pratiques de sélectivité policière à la loupe
• Comment mieux aider les victimes de délits de haine à se reconstruire: témoignages de victimes sur ce qui les a aidées ou freinées dans leur parcours de reconstruction
• ACTinMED

More information

To revisit the previous four sessions held this year, see below: 

• Session 1 – How to integrate gender into urban security policies? Read full article HERE
• Session 2 – How can the Design Thinking methodology contribute to a more strategic approach to urban security? Read full article HERE
• Session 3- How can citizens be mobilised to contribute to safe public spaces? Read full article HERE
• Session 4- To what extent is restorative justice effective in juvenile delinquency cases? Read full article HERE

Design Thinking proves to be a good methodology for public policy

IcARUS has been in motion for over three years now. During this time, our six partner cities have gotten accustomed to the ins-and-out of the Design Thinking methodology. Now the time has come for real-life testing through the schemes developed by these cities through IcARUS, and for the team to observe and report on how the methodology is being implemented.

The IcARUS project is led by the Design Thinking approach: a problem-solving methodology that prioritises a user-centric approach to innovation. Specifically, it involves empathising with end-users and on this basis defining problems, ideating solutions and prototyping and testing them. The IcARUS project six partner cities – Lisbon, Nice, Riga, Rotterdam, Stuttgart and Turin – have been using the methodology to design and implement schemes that tackle a security issue they deem a priority.

A good match for public administrations
In the development of IcARUS, it became evident that Design Thinking needed to be adapted rather than just adopted. The dynamic framework that this approach embodies matches with the iterative nature of public administration, making it the ideal methodology to ensure that unique contextual factors are taken into account. Anticipating and accommodating local stakeholders’ attitude towards innovative solutions allows for a better approach to defining their roles as well as the problem at hand and the project’s life cycle, too. Adapting the methodology means setting a strong organisational foundation that foresees leadership changes as well as strengths and weaknesses within the team. Indeed, given that Design Thinking focuses upon collaboration and the co-creation of ideas, it is essential to tailor the methodology to the contexts, needs and culture of the stakeholders involved.

Validation workshops
Validation workshops are one of the activities that have underscored the importance of adapting Design Thinking rather than copy-pasting the approach from a textbook. In the project, they have been relevant to fine-tuning Design Thinking principles and how they are applied in the real world. In this way, we have been able to observe instances in which Design Thinking ought to be further adapted and we are devising recommendations accordingly. Methodology adaptations in IcARUS encompass contexts, communication, structure of workshops, timelines and many more aspects.

Emphasising the integration of Design Thinking within IcARUS enhances the practicality and relevance of this framework in the realm of public administration, offering a fresh and innovative outlook. IcARUS’s ongoing efforts showcase the tangible application of the Design Thinking methodology in real-world scenarios, providing a concrete model for others to follow. Crucially, it illustrates that projects and their teams can uphold their vision while effectively navigating the practical aspects of the Design Thinking process and its objectives.

Social Acceptability in IcARUS – Plus Ethics at the first Congress of Students of Criminology

In the quest for safer communities, crime prevention programmes are pivotal in shaping strategy and policy. However, assessing their impact extends beyond crime statistics. Plus Ethics, a non-profit devoted to ethical outcomes and positive societal impact, explores social acceptability in crime prevention and will publish later this year a report on emerging ethical challenges.

Expected and unexpected impacts of crime prevention programmes

Plus Ethics acknowledges the need to evaluate crime prevention programmes for optimal resource allocation and decision-making. Research indicates that some programmes may inadvertently heighten insecurity, especially with police interaction or neighbourhood watch schemes. Anticipating potential unintended impacts through evaluations is crucial. Resource allocation for crime control, particularly in an incrementalist model, must be fully justified, integrating all values into programme design and outcomes pursuit.

The literature on ‘societal impact assessment’ began to grow about 20 years ago, and since 2021, Horizon Europe has been emphasising the importance of ‘ensuring ethical outcomes that are supported by society’ in security research.

An empirical study under way
Responsible research, as underscored by the European Commission, is linked to citizen engagement. The legitimacy, acceptability and desirability of policies are defined by citizens. Recognising this, Plus Ethics is planning an empirical study in the first half of 2024, using the nominal group technique to gather scientific evidence from the IcARUS project’s six partner cities. The objective is to identify emerging moral needs and assess the acceptability and social impact of the tools and methodologies developed in IcARUS.

This initiative responds to the broader call for increased social acceptability in security research and technology. Security research and policy often lack transparency, exclude stakeholders and breed public mistrust. Involving stakeholders in assessing policy acceptability and identifying risks, challenges, and solutions is vital for maximising positive social impacts.

Plus Ethics presents IcARUS at the Congress of Criminology Students in Elche

The first Congress of Criminology Students held at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (Spain) on 28 November provided a platform for Plus Ethics to present the IcARUS project, in which it is a partner. The presentation detailed completed work and future plans for criminological and social science research within the project.
IcARUS aims to redefine ethical considerations in crime prevention, aligning with a global shift towards a comprehensive approach using social sciences for a holistic understanding of societal change.

In conclusion, Plus Ethics leads in shaping ethical and socially acceptable crime prevention programs. As IcARUS unfolds, the organisation maintains transparency, accountability, and community engagement in all its undertakings. Its commitment extends beyond reducing crime to building trust, ensuring fair treatment and maximising positive social impact.
In the evolving crime prevention landscape, Plus Ethics exemplifies the paradigm shift towards responsible research and innovation for a safer and more inclusive society.

Innovative results for local democracies

The tools and activities developed in the IcARUS project in various European cities are of great interest to us at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences.

The scientific monitoring of these activities provides us with useful information since our teaching and research is focused on  social innovation and the development of democracy and that we share the results of our work with our networks, especially our students from the field of social work.

Work package 4 in particular, in which the tools are being tested and initial results are expected, will enrich our teaching. We also want to reflect on these results in scientific articles and pass them on to stakeholders from Austrian cities as good practice.

Our main focus in the project is on supporting cities that are dedicated to preventing radicalisation and extremism, which is particularly true of Stuttgart. Our many years of experience in the development, implementation and scientific monitoring of social innovations, especially in the prevention of anti-democratic tendencies, is very helpful for our role in the IcARUS project.

We also endeavour to draw on preliminary work from previous EU projects and share this experience with our project partners. We have already summarised the main findings from these previous projects in two publications: Handbook for Inclusive Democracy and Empowerment at Local Level and Resilience Against Anti-Democratic Tendencies Through Education. Competences for Democratic Culture in European Social and Youth Work* The work we carried out in the past will be expanded and deepened by the IcARUS project.

* You can download this publication in four languages here. 

Local validation workshops: Toolkit development on the finish straight

Participation and co-production are core principles of the IcARUS project: Rethinking and innovating existing urban security practices and adapting them to today’s challenges demand that local communities be engaged as active co-producers rather than passive recipients of public services. The development, demonstration and implementation of the IcARUS toolkit thus follows an interactive design thinking methodology, which fosters the active partaking of local practitioners in defining and framing local challenges as well as in developing and implementing innovative schemes that can help address or solve a particular local issue.

A wide range of civil society actors

The tool development process conducted in IcARUS’ 3rd work package did not only engage the consortium’s city administrations, law enforcement agencies and research institutions, but also a wide range of civil society actors such as youth centres, neighbourhood councils, women’s shelters, religious communities, and local businesses. Depending on which of the four IcARUS focus topics (preventing juvenile delinquency, countering radicalisation, reducing trafficking and organised crime or managing safer public spaces) the respective city works on, they chose relevant local initiatives and organisations and associated them to different events and activities.

A workshop methodology

To conclude the tool development phase and move forward to the demonstration and implementation of the toolkit which is at the core of IcARUS’ 4th work package, each city recently conducted a workshop to gather feedback from the local actors on the finalised version of their tool, envisage adaptations and refinements where necessary, and eventually validate it.

Camino developed a workshop methodology based on design thinking principles, which included presentations of the finalised tools, plenary discussions, work on prepared canvases in breakout groups, on-site digital opinion polls and moderated sessions dedicated to handing over results from the working groups. Just as the tools themselves, the key determining factors of the workshop formats were diverse. For example, the number of local actors involved ranged from 10 to around 45. The time dedicated to the workshop varied from focused half-day sessions to whole day events. The workshop model was thus individually adapted, and all city representatives received trainings preparing them for the sessions.

In Lisbon, more than 40 people gathered in May to discuss and validate the Youth Design Lisboa (Jovem Design Lisboa) tool, a young person-led programme fostering positive relationships between police and local youngsters. The participants, among whom many police officers, youth workers and neighbourhood councillors who will implement the programme in different parishes of Lisbon, confirmed their approval of the tool and discussed the concrete planning of further steps.

In Nice, around 16 participants, among whom social workers, but also consultants in design and mediation service, gathered and validated the implementation of the Ask for Angela scheme (‘Demandez Angela’), whereby victims of sexual harassment can ask for help in hospitality venues. Apart from helping victims, the scheme will also improve the perception of public safety in central areas of the city.

In Riga, 10 participants consisting of police officers, NGOs and local coordinators endorsed and planned the implementation of To Make Riga Safe (Par drošu Rīgu), a survey conducted by police officers, NGOs and local district coordinators leading to an evidence-based adaptation of district policing tactics by analysing police records and citizens’ perceptions of security.

In Rotterdam, a consultation with around 25 business representatives as well as police and city administrative partners took place in September in the form of a business lunch, which led to adaptations in the planning of Spaanse Polder Café, a scheme aiming to foster social cohesion in the industrial port area affected by drug trafficking and organised crime.

In Stuttgart, a workshop with around 10 participants took place in October, presenting the method of the Cart Against Radicalisation to the community of interest, among them social workers and other experts such as the Federal Criminal Police Office.

In Turin, a workshop washeld in November with 16 participants who validated Sbocciamo Torino (Let Turin Bloom). Among the participants were notable members of the committee that will work with the digital data dashboard developed through IcARUS to facilitate local crime prevention planning as well as with other stakeholders. On the same day, a training session was held focusing on how to interpret and operationalise the data provided by the dashboard.

Camino has analysed data gathered during the workshops as well as via questionnaires filled in by the participants, and compiled a report that includes the workshops results and recommendations for individual cities as well as for the overall project. The insights will support the further implementation and dissemination of the toolkit and inform the development of training materials for local security practitioners.

KEMEA takes IcARUS to Vilnius and Lyon!

Last June, KE.ME.A. took part in the celebrations for the 15th anniversary of the public order division of the city of Vilnius, where the KEMEA representative showcased the IcARUS project and engaged in discussions on how the project will advance the capacity of the cities not only to respond but also to prevent crime.

The main points that were raised pertained on the one hand to the project ambitions and outputs, namely the fact that IcARUS aims to develop a toolkit for urban security governance regarding Juvenile Delinquency, Organised Crime, Radicalisation, & Safe Public Spaces while taking into account the diversity of stakeholders, Cyber/Technology intricacies; Gender Issues; Transnational themes. It is a 4 year project coordinated by Efus, with a consortium of seventeen (17) European partners, including universities, research institutions, local authorities, civil society and private sector organisations.

It was mentioned that the IcARUS toolkit is not yet publicly available, as the project is still ongoing and the solutions are being developed and tested (dashboard, platform, app, etc) but more information is available on all our social media platforms, but it will consist of 6 different tools, each one being the product of the corresponding City Police.

Then, the discussion focused on how Municipal Police departments both contribute to and benefit from the IcARUS project. First, they contribute by providing data, expertise and feedback on current urban security issues and challenges, and they participate in co-designing and testing innovative solutions for urban security governance that are tailored to their local contexts and needs.

In turn, local police departments will benefit from IcARUS by accessing the toolkit and learning from best practices and experiences of other partners and stakeholders, while also being able to improve their capacity and skills for urban security governance, and enhance their cooperation and coordination with other actors at the local, national, and European levels The Vilnius Public Order Division, as Vilnius is already a member of EFUS and participated in the International Dissemination Conference of IcARUS held in Riga, Latvia in June 2022, expressed their interest in collaborating more closely with the project, by being included in all upcoming events too, and in creating further synergies with the six Municipal Police Departments that are members of IcARUS. In addition, KEMEA will take part in the Council for European studies Conference in Lyon, France next July where we will present a paper on ‘The contribution of the IcARUS project in re-thinking Urban Security in Europe’!

The paper will focus on the added value of incorporating the new knowledge that the IcARUS project generates and the ways that it may contribute to urban security challenges by offering evidence and lessons learned from the validation of the toolkit in the pertinent urban settings.

Thus, it will communicate how IcARUS enhances urban security and social cohesion in Europe by promoting a comprehensive and holistic approach to combatting radicalisation and other security struggles.

How urban crowdsourcing platforms draw a world map of citizen contributions

Cities are at the forefront of numerous challenges, ranging from the mitigation of the effects of climate change to mobility and security issues.

Well-informed policies are crucial to respond to these challenges. For these purposes, cities are increasingly gathering data thanks to volunteers through crowdsourcing platforms. People use the sensors embedded in mobile phones – GPS, cameras, microphones – to contribute to observations taken on the ground.

As this type of urban tool is increasingly discussed in academic literature, researchers from the Social Computing group at Idiap conducted a systematic review of these studies worldwide. Their work examined and catalogued the platforms, focusing on their geographic location, specific purposes, and public data availability. The research provides a more comprehensive picture of these tools across the world. The work by Alessandro Fornaroli (a former master’s student at EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne / Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) and currently a Research Intern on the IcARUS project) and Prof. Daniel Gatica-Perez was conducted in the context of the IcARUS project.

From citizen science to urbanism

Thanks to a rigorous selection and classification, researchers were able to analyse 30 studies covering 32 crowdsourcing platforms for urban data gathering that were launched and maintained by local authorities. The geographic distribution of these platforms is wide. The reviewed studies covered cities from four continents: Africa, America, Asia and Europe.

The systematic review found that urban reporting, which allows people to report issues to city administrations or local authorities, such as potholes, litter, or broken public objects, is indeed a popular practice.

Future endeavours

“Even if our work provides valuable insights about the state of urban platforms for citizen-contributed data gathering, there are several open questions. For example, we observed that about 70% of platforms are based in the US and Europe. As we only analysed academic literature written in English, we cannot say whether the imbalance is a result of this methodological choice, or a real discrepancy in the existence of such platforms across different world regions,” Gatica-Perez, head of the Social Computing group at Idiap, explains.

The review also highlighted disparities in terms of the data that platforms make available to the public. “Understanding why local decisions are made with respect to public availability of data is another open question. This could be the result of different legal and cultural perspectives on data, and underlines the value of human-centred research in this domain,” Gatica-Perez concludes.

IcARUS partner KEMEA meets with the municipal police of Vilnius (Lithuania)

Vilnius, Lithuania, June 2023 – Representing the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA), Genny Dimitrakopoulou met with officials of the Public Order department of the city of Vilnius (Lithuania) on the occasion of the 15^th anniversary of the municipal Public Order department, on 1-3 June, 2023.  

Genny Dimitrakopoulou is a Research Associate and Project Manager at KEMEA, a partner of the IcARUS consortium.

The objective of this visit was to discuss how the IcARUS project will advance the capacity of local and regional authorities not only to respond to, but also to prevent crime. 

A toolkit for urban security governance

The KEMEA and Vilnius representatives discussed the project’s ambitions and outputs, and in particular the development of  a toolkit for urban security governance in the project’s four focus areas – juvenile delinquency; radicalisation leading to violent extremism; reducing trafficking and organised crime, and designing and managing safe public spaces – while taking into account the diversity of stakeholders, the evolution of technology and the digital space, gender issues, and transnational themes. 

The toolkit, which will comprise six tools designed by each of the project’s six partner cities (Stuttgart (DE), Riga (LV), Rotterdam (NL), Nice (FR), Lisbon (PT), and Turin (IT)), is currently  being developed and tested (dashboard, platform, app, etc.). (More information is available on our social media platforms). 

IcARUS and local police forces

The KEMEA and Vilnius representatives also discussed how Municipal Police Forces both contribute to and benefit from the IcARUS project.

They contribute by providing data, expertise and feedback on urban security issues and challenges, and they participate in co-designing and testing innovative solutions for urban security governance that are tailored to their local contexts and needs.

They will also benefit from IcARUS by accessing the toolkit and learning from the best practices and experiences of other partners and stakeholders. Furthermore, the project gives them the opportunity to improve their capacity and skills for urban security governance, and to enhance cooperation and coordination with other actors at the local, national and European levels.

Increased collaboration

The representatives of Vilnius’ municipal department of Public Order  expressed their interest in collaborating more closely with the project, notably by participating in all the upcoming events, and in creating synergies with the Municipal Police departments of IcARUS’ six member cities (Stuttgart (DE), Riga (LV), Rotterdam (NL), Nice (FR), Lisbon (PT), and Turin (IT)).

Already, the City of Vilnius, which is an Efus member, participated in the IcARUS dissemination conference in Riga, Latvia, in June 2022. 

Empowering Citizens Through Collaborative Engagement

• What tools can facilitate citizen participation in the security and liveability of public spaces?
• What are examples of successful citizen engagement in maintaining public spaces safe and inclusive?
• How can local authorities promote and empower citizen initiatives without jeopardising the role of law enforcement or other security actors?
• What criteria are needed to sustain citizen engagement over time (political, economic, communications…)?

These were some of the questions discussed during the third session of the series of IcARUS with experts Thierry Charlois and Laeititia Wolff. 

The representatives of the IcARUS partner cities (Lisbon, Nice, Riga, Rotterdam, Stuttgart, and Torino) presented the security challenges on which they are focusing through the project: 

• Finding a balance between the requirements of different groups of people in a city (e.g. elderly people and students)
• Mobilising citizens (with a focus on young people)
• Guaranteeing the fair representation of all

From curating common goals to creating spaces for exchange, the speakers concluded that citizen engagement can be enhanced through design thinking which promotes the hands-on involvement of citizens in the implementation of practical measures to improve the security of their cities. 

Such measures include focusing on: 

•  Student populations
•  Working with citizens rather than for them
•  creating spaces of understanding and exchange.

A running theme across the experts’ interventions was the importance of promoting citizen engagement that goes both ways, that is to say, an invested interest, on the part of authorities, in the needs and desires of citizens. They also emphasised the importance of creating spaces where citizens can express themselves and feel seen and heard.