Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, our involvement.

by Christian Hill | 13th October 2025

Delivering Security Excellence at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

When Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2022, the spotlight on the city extended beyond the stadiums and arenas to the extensive programme of diplomatic and trade events surrounding the Games. Among these was UK House, which was the Commonwealth Business Hub, a flagship venue operated by the Department for International Trade designed to showcase British innovation and partnership across the Commonwealth.

Intelligent Protection was appointed as the primary security and risk partner to support both UK House at The Exchange and the adjoining International Convention Centre (ICC), where ministerial plenaries, investor roundtables and high-profile receptions took place. Over a four-month period, our team provided end-to-end planning, risk analysis, recruitment, vetting, and 24/7 operational delivery, culminating in the deployment of more than 200 security operatives across two concurrent venues.

The result was a complex, multi-layered operation executed without incident, under the scrutiny of government agencies, foreign delegations, and global media, including daily appearances by UK Government Ministers, the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and an official visit from Prime Minister Boris Johnson accompanied by Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP) officers during the Games.

Strategic Planning and Risk Assessment

Effective security delivery begins long before deployment. Our first task was to conduct comprehensive Security Risk Assessments of The ICC and The Exchange, assessing physical, procedural, and environmental vulnerabilities. These assessments, undertaken by our team in-house Risk Management specialists, formed the foundation of all subsequent operational planning and compliance measures.

Security Risk Assessments at this level are very in-depth and involved a lot of stakeholder involvement, interviews and research. Very much not a box-ticking exercise, but a piece of work that would be scrutinised at the highest levels and one which we would need to defend in court, post incident if the worse were to happen.

Each site presented distinct challenges:

• The ICC, a multi-storey event complex with shared perimeters and walkways adjoining Symphony Hall, required integration with existing venue security and coordination with West Midlands Police.
• The Exchange (UK House), a Grade II listed former bank building, offered architectural grandeur but limited natural control points. Its public-facing position in Centenary Square and proximity to major pedestrian routes presented elevated protest and intrusion risks.

Our Risk Assessments applied a risk-based methodology rather than a traditional “security controls only” approach. By evaluating likelihood, impact, and residual risk, we identified both physical and procedural weaknesses that could compromise resilience.

Recommendations included enhanced perimeter patrols, access control upgrades, Arms and Explosives Search (AES) canine sweeps, and layered internal manning at key choke points such as stairwells, corridors, and executive rooms. We also built in the ability to increase security to "airport style" security levels if required, if the level of risk was to increase.

This proactive planning ensured that every protective measure, whether visible or covert, was calibrated to deter, detect, delay, and disrupt potential threats, while maintaining the open, welcoming atmosphere appropriate to a Commonwealth hospitality environment.

Operational Delivery: From Recruitment to Deployment

With less than 10 weeks between final approval and operational start, the coordination challenge was formidable. Intelligent Protection undertook the recruitment, vetting, and scheduling of more than 200 licensed operatives drawn from across the UK, each vetted to BS7858 and SIA standards.

Our workforce model combined:

• Core management and supervisory teams – selected for leadership and communication ability, many with ex-Police or military backgrounds.
• Specialist operatives – including Close Protection Officers, AES dog handlers, and covert intelligence officers embedded for protest detection and counter-surveillance.
• Event and access control staff – trained in visitor screening, bag checks, and guest interaction for a high-visibility but courteous presence.

Accommodation, welfare, and logistics were managed centrally from our operations command in Birmingham. Shift scheduling, team rotations, and emergency coverage were all coordinated through a digital command system, ensuring resilience across 24-hour operations at both venues.

Our deployment plan mirrored the principles of layered defence:

• Outer Layer: perimeter presence, covert patrols, and canine units conducting daily sweeps.
• Middle Layer: access control and screening teams at key entrances, supported by CCTV monitoring and rapid response units.
• Inner Layer: plainclothes and high-visibility officers in event zones, executive corridors, and hospitality areas, ensuring discretion during VIP engagements.

This model provided both deterrence and flexibility, essential for venues simultaneously hosting senior ministers, international guests, and open networking events.

Integration with Venue and Police Operations

From the outset, coordination with existing stakeholders was central to our success. The ICC’s in-house security team, West Midlands Police and the Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP) retained jurisdiction over certain perimeters and shared areas. Intelligent Protection established a dedicated command liaison, ensuring real-time communication and joint situational awareness.

A key factor was our joint CCTV coordination protocol, which allowed our supervisors to receive relevant intelligence from the ICC’s monitoring centre while maintaining full control of our own covert and overt resources. At UK House, where the venue’s internal systems were managed by the University of Birmingham, we established a dedicated control room staffed by experienced operators and integrated with the Department for International Trade’s event management structure.

The result was seamless interoperability, each team understood its jurisdiction, escalation paths were clear, and information flowed efficiently between police, venue, and private security channels.

Managing VIP Attendance and the Prime Minister’s Visit

Among the most critical operational phases was the official opening of UK House, attended by senior Cabinet members, trade envoys, and international dignitaries, culminating in a visit from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

This required a shift from routine event security to a full protective security posture, incorporating:

• Coordinated entry screening for invited guests, including pre-vetting of delegates and controlled accreditation.
• Secondary searches of vehicles and deliveries.
• AES canine sweeps of all internal and external areas.
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasure (TSCM) sweeps of ministerial rooms.
• Establishment of sterile routes for VIP movement between The Exchange and The ICC.

In addition to close coordination with the Prime Minister’s Protection Detail, our teams ensured the event remained accessible and dignified, preserving the tone of a diplomatic business forum while maintaining the highest level of protective oversight.

This balance of security precision and professional discretion is at the heart of Intelligent Protection’s ethos: safeguarding without intrusion and maintaining the event’s integrity even under exceptional scrutiny.

Centenary Square and Crowd Dynamics

One of the most distinctive security challenges was Centenary Square, that was the home to the Commonwealth Bull, the 10-metre mechanised sculpture that became an emblem of the Games. And, also, positioned directly in front of UK House in Centenary Square, were the BBC broadcast studios, a location that drew thousands of spectators daily, many congregating in Centenary Square to view live interviews with international athletes and celebrities.

This unprecedented footfall required constant adjustment to our crowd-flow and perimeter management strategy.

Our teams introduced:

• Expanded external patrol grids and buffer zones around Centenary Square.
• Coordination with crowd-management stewards and police for spontaneous gatherings.
• Enhanced CCTV observation for density monitoring and behavioural analytics.
• Rapid-response contingencies for surges during live BBC segments or athlete appearances.

While the Bull became a defining symbol of the Games, it also epitomised the need for agile, intelligence-led security planning in high-visibility public environments. Intelligent Protection’s proactive crowd-management ensured that enthusiasm never compromised safety.

Command, Control and Communication

Operating two simultaneous venues required a resilient command structure.

Our Central Operations Command (COC) was established as the single point of accountability, supported by on-site control hubs at both The ICC and UK House.

Each venue was led by a dedicated Security Manager reporting to the overall Operations Director, ensuring alignment in strategy, reporting, and escalation.

Daily briefings were conducted every morning before public opening, with intelligence updates, threat assessments, and allocation of duties. Incident reporting protocols were standardised across both venues using our digital logging system, allowing live updates to flow between the field teams, management, and client representatives.

A three-tier communication model was maintained:

• Strategic: Liaison with event organisers, DIT officials, and police representatives.
• Tactical: Supervisors coordinating zone-level operations and shift changes.
• Operational: Ground teams executing patrols, screening, and guest management.

This structure provided both vertical and horizontal communication efficiency, critical in a dynamic, high-profile environment with continuous media and political activity.

Challenges and Adaptive Solutions

Every live event presents unforeseen challenges and these events are very dynamic by their very nature. During the Games period, fluctuating attendance numbers, high-profile drop-ins, and variable protest activity around Birmingham city centre demanded constant adaptation.

Our planning model allowed for real-time dynamic risk assessments, enabling supervisory staff to make immediate decisions based on emerging intelligence.

Examples included:

• Adjusting access control points in response to crowd flow near Centenary Square.
• Deploying covert teams in anticipation of planned environmental protests.
• Managing last-minute delegate additions and re-accreditation requests under tight timeframes.

Accommodation logistics for more than 200 operatives, many working night rotations, were also managed internally by our operations division, ensuring rest compliance, transport availability, and team continuity.

Despite the operational tempo, morale and discipline remained high, a reflection of thorough preparation, clear leadership, and professional pride across all ranks.

Technical Integration and Venue Readiness

Security at this level requires close alignment with event infrastructure.

Working alongside Audio-Visual and build contractors, Intelligent Protection ensured that the security plan integrated with staging layouts, lighting rigs, and access routes described in the venue’s technical specifications.

Particular attention was paid to:

• The Vault (Lower Ground, UK House) – where presentation stages and audience seating demanded controlled evacuation routes and secure equipment storage.
• The Assembly Room and Working Lounge (Upper Floors) – where high-value audiovisual systems and live-streaming equipment necessitated continuous overnight protection.
• Loading Bays and Car Parks – which were repeatedly swept, locked down, and resecured between deliveries to prevent unauthorised entry or device placement.

The cooperation between our security teams and the venue’s AV, production, and logistics staff ensured that both safety and show delivery remained uncompromised.

Outcome: Professionalism, Precision, and Partnership

Over the course of the Games, Intelligent Protection delivered:

• Continuous security coverage for more than three weeks of operations.
• Zero security incidents, despite sustained public attention and protest risk.
• 100% attendance across scheduled shifts.
• Positive feedback from client stakeholders, venue management, and attending officials.

The successful delivery of security for UK House and The ICC during the Commonwealth Games demonstrated our capacity to manage complex, high-visibility events at an international scale. It also reinforced the core principles that define our organisation: meticulous planning, operational discipline, and partnership-based delivery.

Post-Event Reflection and Legacy

Beyond the operational success, the project left a lasting professional legacy.

It showcased the capability of UK private security firms to deliver world-class protective operations alongside government agencies in an open, diplomatic setting.

For Intelligent Protection, it strengthened existing relationships with event partners, law enforcement, and international clients, many of whom later sought advisory support for subsequent projects. Internally, the Commonwealth Games project enhanced our operational framework for large-scale deployments, influencing later assignments across Europe and the Middle East.

The success of Birmingham 2022 stands as testament to the professionalism of our teams, the trust of our clients, and the precision with which security and diplomacy can coexist.

Closing Thoughts

At Intelligent Protection International Limited, we pride ourselves on delivering security solutions that protect people, assets, and reputation in the most demanding environments.

Our involvement in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games exemplified the integration of strategic foresight, operational leadership, and professional execution, the hallmarks of our continued commitment to excellence.