The Chief Executive of Hesco has identified the challenges that are faced by planners that seek to adopt an integrated approach to tackle the threat that terrorist attacks could pose. Michael Hughes, was speaking on the topic at the UK Security Expo 2017 which took place at Olympia where civil and military planners will be able to share the best practice and the latest technologies.

The integrated approach to tackle these threats are being explored with the aim of making city and town centres safe while still being open. Mr. Hughes has said that there is a dual threat to civic protection as terrorist groups are looking to encourage their activists to cause mayhem, using low-tech equipment such as driving a heavy vehicle at crowds, while also requiring vigilance at leisure and commercial venues in order to prevent attacks from suicide bombers.

The civic planners face a range of threats, all in different guises. While working to identify the threats they are also under commercial pressure to ensure that civic centres still remain open and vibrant in order to deliver a successful enterprise. This is added on to the economic pressures that they have to deal with and the provision of effective protection can be extremely difficult.

It is vital that planners must maintain a high level of security in the areas which are most likely to be targets, where large numbers of people gather for work, leisure and education. Conducting regular searches of people will be a vital step towards improving safety however it would be impossible to check every van or lorry in order to anticipate when it will change gear and turn from a mundane transportation device into a deadly weapon. In these instances, the installation of a perimeter of security around venues will offer peace of mind and confidence to planners and people that they will be protecting.