The mission

Commision on Local Safety cooperates in order to improve security services as well as assure better safety standards and procedures for all Baltic Sea Region (BSR) citizens.

The problems which seems to be completely solved in some cities still exist in others. Creating the Commission allows not only expand knowledge, but also to gain and share experience. The initiators hope that joint efforts can help to make BSR a safer and tidier place to live.

Current Activities

From September 29 till October 1, 2005 in Turku, Finland UBC Safe Cities Commission had it’s first working meeting after renewing. At this meeting met safety workers from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The meeting was hosted by Southwest Finland Emergency Services. The meeting began with small educational meeting at the Turku Firefighters museum, where it was possible to learn about the firefighter history in Finland and city of Turku.

During the Safe Cities Commission working meeting, the representatives learned about safety for elderly people, safety card education for home care supervisors and the Rescue act 42§ which obligates authorities to change information in safety and security matters, as well about other fire safety issues in Finland. While visiting a special model house at Turku University of Applied Sciences, the commission members learned about how to prevent accidents for elderly people and make them feel safer even if they are living alone. Later on Dr. Brita Somerkoski informed about “Fire stop” project - the prevention work with juvenile fire setters.

UBC Sustainable Cities Commission's Head of Secretariat, Björn Grönholm presented about their work and experience, as well he offered a possible collaboration in different issues about safety. During videoconference between Turku and Stockholm, other possible collaboration in safety field was offered by the representatives from the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

At the last part of the UBC Safe Cities Commission meeting all participants were involved in workshops. One of the workshops was about pilot-short movie for the UBC region about various safety issues for feeling safe at home. Other workshop focused on the safety professional experience and exchange database, which would help to share the best safety experience to all UBC members and other interested persons. After the workshops ongoing issues were discussed and future tasks were planned.

UBC Safe Cities Commission would like to send the warmest greetings to the city of Turku and Southwest Finland Emergency Services for a great hospitality!

Presentations from the Turku 2015 meeting ( 13.17 MB )

Home Security theses ( 123.69 KB )

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On 21-22 May 2015 took place the first meeting of UBC Safe Cities Commission, which was known formerly as the UBC Commission on Local Safety. In the new renewed commission meeting the new authorities of the Commission have been elected. Kaspars Vārpiņš the representative of Liepāja city Municipal police became a Chairman of the Commission elected for a two year cadence. While Torbjörn Lindström, the Development manager of Southwest Finland Emergency Services have been elected Vice Chairmen. The Commission’s communication officer became Milosz Jurgielewicz from Gdansk Municipal Guard. It was decided, that the secratariat for the next two years will be in Liepāja (Latvia).

On 25-27 June 2014 UBC Commission on Local Safety (CLS) meeting took place in Gdansk. The main objective of the meeting was to exchange information on the project S-37 "Building security in cities through citizens participation" (Citizens for Safety). The main project will be about creating a website consisting of interactive threat map and database and unified platform boosting cooperation between local actors on macro regional level. The project website will help cities to improve their safety policy by gathering guidelines for real safety problems, practical examples for implementing and evaluation indicators.

The meeting in Gdansk, during which the best practices to the above mentioned project were discussed, was attended by representatives from seven cities - members of UBC CLS: Vilnius, Riga, Tallin, Jelgava, Liepaja, Panevezys, Gdansk. and representative of the European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS).

2nd project meeting took place in Liepāja (Latvia) on February 2015.

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The history

In November 2009 Gdańsk Municipal Guard distributed questionnaires on safety and public order issues amongst UBC members. 34 cities from Baltic Sea Region completed the survey. The research has confirmed that public order and safety were main priorities in the examined cities. Additionally, analysis of findings have showed that safety problems were common and affected all inhabitants of the BSR.

The idea which appeared behind the survey was to work cooperatively, share knowledge in order to deal with the mentioned problems. Municipal Guard of Gdańsk invited all potentially interested BSR cities to start the process of turning the concept into real actions.

The meeting took place on 25-27 March 2010. The conference was attended by representatives from nine cities: Botkyrka (Sweden), Elbląg (Poland), Gdańsk (Poland), Nacka (Sweden), Riga (Latvia), Sopot (Poland), Tukums (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia) and Vilnius (Lithuania).

It was decided that an organization framework was necessary. All participants agreed that establishing the Group within UBC structure must be the first step towards further cooperation. Therefore, the city representatives have signed the Letter of Intent which was presented and officially accepted during the 58^th UBC Executive Board meeting on 4-5 June in Trelleborg.

During the second meeting which was held on 13-15 October in Riga (Latvia) the authorities of the Commission have been elected. Leszek Walczak the Commander of Gdańsk Municipal Guard became a Chairman of the Commission elected for a two year cadence. While Hans-Ivar Swärd, the Security Coordinator of Municipality of Nacka and Andrejs Aronovs, Head of Tourism Policing Section Department of Central District Riga Municipal Police have been elected Vice Chairmen.

Moreover, the Statute of the Commission has been enacted and six additional cities - Jelgava (Latvia), Jurmala (Latvia), Liepaja (Latvia), Panevežys (Lithuania), Kaunas (Lithuania) and Karlstad (Sweden) - became new Members of the Commission, increasing the total number to 15.

History meetings

The first Safe Cities Commission meeting, Gdansk, 21-22 May 2015
The "Citizens for Safety" project meeting, Liepaja, 19-20 February 2015
The "Citizens for Safety" project meeting, Gdańsk, 25-27 June 2014 
The nineth meeting in Vilnius, 14-16 May 2014
The eighth meeting in Karlstad, 16-18 October 2013
The seventh meeting in Jelgava, 13-14 June 2013
The sixth meeting in Gdańsk, 6-7 September 2012
The fifth meeting in Tallin, 24 -25 May 2012
The fourth meeting in Botkyrka and Nacka, 20-21 October 2011
The third meeting in Vilnius, 13-15 April 2011
The second meeting in Riga, 13-15 October 2010
The first, initial meeting in Gdańsk, 25-27 March 2010

Secretariat

UBC Safe Cities Commission
Sindija Kirkovalde

Jelgavas str. 48
Liepāja, Latvia
LV-3401

safecities@ubc.net
fax: +371 63401968

Member cities