UK universities deploy Halo Solutions’ technology amid rising protests

Halo Solutions, a crowd safety and security platform in the UK, has announced the deployment of its safety technology to enhance security at university campuses.

 A company press release states that the technology aims to “help protect female students, tackle crime and protestor activity.”

The number of politically motivated protests on campuses is expected to rise, driven in part by groups protesting the war in Gaza. Halo Solutions is already providing its technology to Birmingham City University and is discussing it with several universities. 

While the primary aim of this new technology deployment is to enhance safety, it may raise questions regarding its potential impact on the right to protest.

Lloyd Major, CEO of Halo Solutions, a former National Counter Terrorism Police Officer, stated:

“While legitimate protests are a vital part of democracy, recent events, such as the Gaza protest at the University of Manchester, underscore the need for enhanced security. Many of these protestors were not students, highlighting how vulnerable our universities can be. Last month, police in riot gear arrested 100 protestors at Columbia University in New York.”

The Halo system facilitates real-time monitoring for security teams and university staff across multiple campuses. It supports incident self-reporting by students without needing to log onto the system. It synchronises information from security checks, CCTV, body cams, and other sources to enhance decision-making and response times, especially during critical events like lockdowns.

Major added: 

“Halo has public safety and security at its core, so that when a dynamic and fast-moving incident occurs it can be managed quickly and effectively with the safety of staff and students first and foremost. The protection of property, buildings,  infrastructure and facilities is exactly what Halo is designed to do at its core. 

We designed Halo as a software technology that would be easy to use and able to integrate into existing systems to help protect everyone. By providing real-time information and merging multiple sources of data and intelligence, it enables faster decision-making to help mitigate risks. 

“Now more than ever, universities face a growing number of risks that threaten student and staff safety. Protestor activity, increased theft, violence and robbery, the safety of women  on campuses, extremism and terrorism are all very real threats.”  

Campus safety, particularly for women, remains a significant concern. Increasing crime rates, especially violent and sexual crimes, robbery, and theft, are prevalent in university regions. Statistics show that a third of UK students become crime victims, mainly through burglary or theft, with 20% of these crimes occurring within the first six weeks of university.

Lois Warner, a former volunteer police officer and now BD Manager and University Lead for Halo Solutions, said: 

“As a former volunteer police officer and graduate of Nottingham Trent University, I am passionate about women’s safety and security – and in particular on university campuses having seen the problems first hand from both sides. Halo provides a wide range of features to help tackle, mitigate and manage the various risks and issues that all students face but particularly women. 

“We have recently introduced a self-reporting feature to the Halo system, which will allow for students to report crimes and incidents without the need to log into the system itself. This is a particularly valuable feature, allowing women to report crime, welfare and safety issues. Making university campuses safe spaces and places where women feel less vulnerable  is something I am particularly passionate about – and it’s a core part of the Halo mission.”