Recap: ICSS at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2024 in Barcelona

Last week, the Impact Coalitie Safety & Security (ICSS) attended the Smart City Expo World Congress 2024 in Barcelona to share experiences and network with partners and other countries on the future of urban safety. Grounded in the HSD Smart Secure Resilient Cities programme, the ICSS is dedicated to addressing urban safety challenges through technology, always upholding societal values, privacy, and ethics. As cities worldwide face increasingly complex safety challenges, including urbanisation, the digital divide, cybercrime, and climate change, innovative solutions to secure urban safety are more essential than ever. 

Valuable Discussions and a Practical Workshop on Urban Safety
During Business Day, ICSS organised the workshop "From Piloting Innovation to Boosting Commercialisation," where the role of technology in modern safety challenges was discussed. Key topics included drone detection, smart image recognition, crowd control, responsible AI use, and ethical hacking. The workshop was well attended and provided a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and defining practical steps to make cities safer and more resilient.

Inspiring Tour of Innovative Safety Technologies
Led by Susanne Brok and Mark Ruijsendaal, an ICSS delegation participated in an inspiring tour of booths from leading exhibitors such as CrowdScan, Microsoft, and Mapli. Smart urban safety solutions were showcased, focusing on crowd management, geodata, and cybersecurity.

Presentation on Criminology and the Role of Technology in Policing 
Susanne Brok also presented criminological research and the impact of technology on policing, emphasising the balance between safety and privacy. In the Netherlands, privacy is essential, and ICSS highlighted the importance of targeted smart data applications. Using sensors, a single officer can simultaneously be 'present' in multiple locations with the help of technology, allowing for more effective use of limited resources.

Concrete Results and Follow-Up Commitments 
ICSS reflects on successful participation, promising new collaborations and follow-up agreements with international cities and companies. Innovative technologies, shared insights, and concrete steps were discussed – working together toward the future of safe and resilient cities. 

The Impact Coalition Safety & Security: a collaboration between municipalities, police, knowledge institutions, companies, VNG, and HSD Office. Want to know more about ICSS or other ICSS activities? Visit: Veilige Smart Cities