The PROTECTOR project recognises that attacks on places of worship are a serious security concern across the world, as extremists and terrorists promulgating hate and violent ideologies, continue to commit crimes against places of worship with alarming regularity. Recent attacks on places of worship have revealed the exploitation of their intrinsic vulnerabilities that result from their open nature and public character.
The ethos of PROTECTOR is to enhance security postures at places of worship through improving the coordination, cooperation and communication between Law Enforcement Agencies, public authorities, faith leadership and congregations. The combination of the PROTECTOR system of measures brings together all stakeholders to play a greater collective role in developing protective security countermeasures at places of worship.
The collective sustainable impact of PROTECTOR outputs will significantly enhance the protection, preparedness and resilience of places of worship, serving to increase the preventative and investigative capabilities of Law Enforcement Agencies to better protect places of worship from all manner of hate crimes, violence, terrorism and future emerging threats.
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The PROTECTOR consortium of partners includes:
An Garda Síóchána
An Garda Síóchána has a long established tradition of working closely with communities all across Ireland. By fostering and maintaining effective community partnerships and ensuring a more visible Garda presence, they work to achieve a reduction in crime and fear of crime in their communities.
For further information about An Garda Síóchána please visit: www.garda.ie
Comune di Trento
Comune di Trento is a Municipality and is organized in three areas delivering Citizen services; Cultural services; and Technical area of the territory. The interventions of the Municipality includes strategic areas such as social cohesion, economic development, urban security, education and training, youth policy, culture and libraries, sports, urban mobility, land management and environment.
For further information about Comune di Trento please visit: www.comune.trento.it
European Institute
The European Institute Foundation (EI) is an independent policy centre that was founded in 1999. Since its creation the Institute has become one of the leading Bulgarian independent policy and research centres dealing with matters related to European integration. In the past several years, the European Institute gained considerable project related experience in topics dealing with migration, trafficking in human beings, online radicalisation and police cooperation. The projects in these areas have been implemented through partnership with national and European governmental and non-governmental institutions, as well as with international organisations. In particular, the Institute has been working actively with the Ministry of Interior and a network of Law Enforcement Agencies.
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) is the top Research Institute in Italy, ranked at the 1st place for scientific excellence within 3 different subject areas and for the economic and social impact according to the latest quality of research ANVUR evaluation.
With its 3,500 square meters of laboratories and scientific infrastructures and a community of over 400 researchers, 140 doctoral students, 200 visiting fellows and thesis students, 700 affiliates and accredited students combined, FBK acts as a scientific and technological hub, its premises and platforms hosting a lively ecosystem of co-located ventures, spin-offs, projects and training opportunities.
The result of more than half a century of history, through 11 centers dedicated to technology and innovation and to the humanities and social sciences, FBK aims to achieve excellent results in the scientific and technological field with particular regard to interdisciplinary approaches and the application dimension.
This is due to the constant focus on collaborations and exchange activities with public administration and institutions, small, medium-sized and multinational companies, European and international institutions, which broaden the capacity for innovation and involve the local community and the local economy in the circulation of knowledge and technologies.
FBK participates in PROTECTOR with 3 research centers:
1) The Digital Society Center, involving the DVL - Deep Visual Learning Lab, the DH - Digital Humanities research unit, the DS Lab - Digital Society Laboratory, and the PMG - Project Management Group;
2) The Cybersecurity Center; and
3) The Center for Religious Studies (ISR).
For further information about Fondazione Bruno Kessler please visit: www.fbk.eu
Politie Antwerpen
Politie Antwerpen is part of the Belgian integrated police service structured on a federal level and different local levels. Politie Antwerpen provides police services in the fields of intervention and first response, front office service, research and investigation, traffic police, prevention, victims aid and public order, events control and intelligence to the communities of Antwerp.
The Swedish Police is a national police agency with 95 local police districts divided in 7 regions and 5 national departments. The Vision of the Swedish Police is to keep Sweden safe and secure, with a strategic objective of fighting and solving crime, including preventing violent extremism and countering terrorism.
For further information about the Swedish Police please visit: www.polisen.se
University of Applied Sciences for Public Service in Bavaria
The University of Applied Sciences – Police Affairs, teaches future higher ranked police officers in various disciplines including psychology, political science and social sciences. The Department of Police is located in Fürstenfeldbruck and in Sulzbach Rosenberg and currently trains the majority of police students in Bavaria at the campus in Fürstenfeldbruck.
For further information about the University of Applied Sciences – Police Affairs please visit: www.fhvr-polizei.bayern.de