Public Security

The security of public spaces is currently a joint challenge of the police and domestic politics: as a consequence of the terrorist attacks in European urban areas within the recent years, the protection of public spaces such as pedestrian zones or transport and shopping centres is in the focus of urban development and planning.

But not only terrorists have an increased interest in access to public, high-traffic spaces. 24 hours retail business areas, especially in downtown locations, are generating a continuous streams of people passing through such spaces. This presence of people is strengthening the likeliness of petty-crime incidents such as pickpocketing, but also the appearance of brute force offenses. Without corrective measures, such a mixture has a considerable and negative impact on the retail industry as well as the food and quick service businesses and can easily lead to the incurrence of so-called „deprived areas“.

The City of Basel took up this context and summarized success factors, trends and options for action in its report "Security of Public Spaces in the Example of the Canton of Basel-Stadt". In addition to various problems, the worth reading report also highlights triggers that are good indicators of a safe business environment for the economy.

More information about this report is available via the following links:

More Information about Urban Security Projects at ebb.ch

Report on Public Security (German Language)