The SHIELD PCP project has officially started, marking an important milestone in Europe’s efforts to strengthen the protection of public spaces. The online kick-off meeting gathered project partners and security experts who will work together over the next three years to deliver innovative solutions supporting law enforcement agencies and public authorities.
SHIELD PCP builds on the work of the SHIELD4CROWD project, carried out between August 2023 and July 2024 by a consortium of ten partners. SHIELD4CROWD identified key operational challenges, explored technological gaps, and laid the foundation for a European approach to Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) in the field of public safety. Its results provided a clear understanding of practitioner needs and highlighted the importance of developing solutions that improve coordination, situational awareness, and response capabilities in crowded public environments.
With this groundwork in place, SHIELD PCP will now organise and implement a full PCP process. The project will guide the development of new tools through phased, competitive research and development—from solution design to prototyping and testing in real operational settings. The aim is to stimulate innovation that directly addresses the day-to-day challenges faced by law enforcement agencies, first responders, and public authorities, while ensuring ethical, legal, and interoperability requirements are met.
During the kick-off meeting, partners outlined the next steps and reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration. The PCP approach will enable public buyers to clearly express their needs and challenge the market to propose diverse technological pathways, ensuring that the most promising solutions are selected and further developed.
