Chief Inspector José Manuel Colodrás explains how hands-on experience, research funding and public procurement are driving innovation inside the Spanish National Police and transforming ideas into tools that make Europeans safer.
Security practitioners are not just ‘end-users’ in Horizon Europe. They are key partners in shaping successful Cluster 3 projects, focusing on civil security for society. Whether you work in policing, civil protection, disaster management or public security or you’re preparing a 2026 proposal as a researcher, this interview is for you.
Chief Inspector José Manuel Colodrás makes it clear: “Involving security practitioner in research contributes directly to crime prevention, counterterrorism and public safety, rather than remaining a theoretical exercise.”
In the interview, he shares:
🔹 Why early involvement of security practitioner matters.
🔹 How to turn research into deployable solutions.
🔹 Why public procurement is key to scaling up innovation.
From public spaces to forensic intelligence
Can you give us some examples of EU research that strengthens security?
The POP ART project, for example, helps us protect public spaces. It was tested during a La Liga football match and a United Nations conference, demonstrating how innovation can be successfully applied in real-life environments.
A more ambitious initiative is the Forensic Challenge Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), designed to support the activities of the Forensic Department within the Spanish National Police.
For example, in a homicide investigation, this project aims to create a system that takes into account every step of the process- from the crime scene to the final report submitted to the judge. It’s something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.
Forensic Challenge PCP is co-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), demonstrating how different EU funding mechanisms can drive impact in security.
Why practitioners must be involved from the start
How can innovation stay connected to real operational needs, and what role should practitioners play in shaping new solutions?
At the Spanish National Police, decisions to participate in EU-funded research and innovation projects are driven by clearly identified operational capability gaps, not by funding opportunities alone. And it’s very important to involve practitioners from the very beginning.
This approach ensures that research contributes directly to crime prevention, counterterrorism and public safety, rather than remaining a theoretical exercise.
What makes Spain’s approach on security research different in the European context?
I would define the ‘Spanish model’ as an innovative police organisation based on three pillars: public procurement, partnerships with private companies and synergies between different funds.
These pillars help ensure continuity from research to prototype and ultimately to operational use.
