Devised as a direct response to the recent terrorist atrocities in the United States, the new security advisory group would be known as the European Urban Security Observatory.
While assisting other units within the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, the group would also assume responsibility for:
- maintaining a log of those security practices which produce the best end results, and spreading knowledge of tried-and-tested techniques;
- gathering, analysing and sharing crime information with all the relevant authorities and justice systems;
- setting up meetings and discussions between organisations tasked with improving security in European towns and cities, and offering training courses for all those public officials involved in urban security policy;
- devising a European-wide conference that will unite parties concerned with urban insecurity in the Council's member countries.
Addressing the Assembly of The Council of Europe, French Minister of the Interior Daniel Vaillant said: "Security is a collective good for which we are all responsible and accountable. In all of our democratic societies, the debate on security and those policies already in force is much needed."
The Minister then added a note of caution. "All-too-often, insecurity is a subject that leads to dangerous mixes – insecurity and immigration, insecurity and youth, insecurity and the suburbs. These are all good examples," stressed Vaillant. "The struggle against delinquency in particular demands a collective approach."
The Council of Europe – an organisation that is separate from the European Union, and boasts a much broader political agenda – has published a paper stating that the Observatory's Advisory Board would tackle a host of wide-ranging offences, possibly including:
- increased violent attacks, as well as petty and large-scale crime committed by juvenile delinquents;
- drug trafficking;
- the trafficking of humans and the plague of illegal migration;
- racism and related crimes.
According to the document, heightened instances of offences in urban areas are directly related to several factors including: persistent unemployment, social exclusion, the pressures brought to bear by what are heavily consumer-led societies and inadequate policies drafted by both local and central Governments.
Source
SMT