GOBIERNO VASCO - DEPARTAMENTO SEGURIDAD

Their core work

The Basque Government's Department of Security is the regional public authority responsible for policing, emergency response, and public safety in Spain's Basque Country. In EU research projects, they serve as an end-user and operational validator — bringing real-world law enforcement needs, testing environments, and policy perspectives to consortia developing security technologies. Their contributions span AI-powered policing tools, first responder equipment, urban security systems, and counter-terrorism preparedness. They bridge the gap between technology developers and the officers and agencies who must actually deploy these solutions in the field.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2016–2019), the Basque Security Department had a broader focus that included energy infrastructure (RELaTED on district heating), European identity systems (ARIES), and foundational crowd security and human factors research (LETS-CROWD). From 2020 onward, their portfolio concentrated sharply on AI-driven law enforcement tools, with artificial intelligence appearing as a keyword in at least six later projects. The recent phase also introduced a strong ethics and governance dimension — projects like popAI, ALIGNER, and STARLIGHT explicitly address responsible AI deployment, privacy-by-design, and societal acceptance of security technologies.

They are converging on responsible AI for policing — expect future involvement in projects combining operational AI tools with strong ethical governance frameworks.

How they like to work

Exclusively a participant across all 17 projects, never a coordinator — consistent with their role as an end-user authority that validates and tests technologies rather than leading technical development. With 269 unique consortium partners across 36 countries, they operate in large, diverse consortia typical of EU security research. This broad network and consistent participant role make them a reliable, low-risk partner who brings operational credibility and real deployment environments without competing for technical leadership.

An exceptionally well-connected end-user with 269 unique partners across 36 countries, reflecting the large consortia typical of EU security research. Their network spans technology developers, research institutes, and fellow law enforcement agencies across virtually all of Europe.

What sets them apart

Unlike technology companies or universities in the security domain, the Basque Security Department is an actual law enforcement authority with operational responsibility — they can test tools in real policing environments and validate against genuine operational needs. Their 17-project portfolio makes them one of the most active regional police authorities in H2020 security research, giving them deep experience in requirements definition, pilot testing, and bridging academic research with field deployment. For consortium builders, they offer what no lab can: the credibility and access of a working police and emergency services organization.

Highlights from their portfolio

• S4AllCities
  Their largest funded project (EUR 383,500), combining AI, digital twins, VR, and cyber security for smart city public space protection.
• INGENIOUS
  Major first responder innovation project (EUR 317,010) integrating wearables, AR, UAV swarms, and indoor positioning into a next-generation toolkit.
• STARLIGHT
  Large-scale project running until 2026 focused on AI autonomy and resilience for law enforcement, signaling their long-term strategic direction.