Devon and Cornwall Police partner with Precisely to keep world leaders safe at G7 Summit

Introduction

In recent years, security has become one of the greatest imperatives of every organization. Mounting geopolitical tension is increasing the likelihood of security threats, meaning that high profile events are requiring unprecedented levels of complex security protocol. The pandemic has also made contingency planning more challenging by limiting the ability to bring together large groups of people to do in-person planning.

The G7 Summit is one such example of a high-profile event requiring heightened security measures and contingency planning. As one of the most recognized inter-governmental meetings, the G7 Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the seven wealthiest nations in the world who come together to align on a global approach to current economic, climate, and global security concerns.

When Devon and Cornwall, England became the host city for the 2021 G7 Summit, the local police force became yet another organization tasked with developing complex security protocols, while simultaneously limiting large physical gatherings for in-person planning. Beyond just ensuring the safety of world leaders attending the event, the police force was equally responsible for the safety of nearly two million citizens residing across over 10,270 kilometers.

The Challenge

The police force immediately identified two key areas that needed to be addressed during the planning. Firstly, there was the sheer amount of security measures needed, given that the Summit was to be hosted across two different locations. This meant the police force not only had to plan the travel routes from one location to the other, but they also needed the added insight of potential road barricades, traffic patterns, and even rooftop visibility of the road from buildings along the planned routes.

Secondly, it needed to plan and communicate safety measures with multiple partners across the world, representing each of the different leaders. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with gatherings and travel restrictions in place, this open and virtual dialogue was critical to ensure all parties were aligned with the security measures being put in place and felt confident in the protocols the police force had implemented.

Taking GIS a Step Further

Location intelligence is essential to any data integrity initiative, particularly in government. Coincidentally, most of the data used by governments has a location component and could be leveraged for untapped insight by local authorities.

The G7 Summit is just one example of how location can be used for strategic security measures, but this same application can be used to inform myriad government agencies in the services they provide. As such, Robert has made it his mission to serve as a GIS evangelist, seeking to educate other government organizations about the broad benefits of GIS and data visualization capabilities, as well as stand up a dedicated GIS function within his organization.

With the maturation of GIS, tangible advantages, and economic and environmental efficiencies, Robert believes Devon and Cornwall Police have an untapped opportunity to do more to benefit from location intelligence. He envisions dedicated GIS to further help the police force to assess accessibility of both public and private services; assist in criminal investigations; plan the most efficient station for police officers each day; respond to an emergency with speed; and aid in future major event planning.

Beyond MapInfo Pro, Robert and his team are now assessing Precisely datasets that can enrich contingency planning. During the summer months, the counties of Devon and Cornwall triple in population size as tourists flock to the coastal area for holiday. As such, seasonal data could better inform Robert’s team about the necessary resources and planning required to respond to the influx of people, and to continue to maintain its position as one of the safest areas in England.