In a recent outreach event held at Gunnersbury Park, DeterTech—known for its work in forensic marking, crime intelligence, and site security—delivered a practical educational session to more than 60 young participants involved in the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust programmes. The event aimed to raise awareness of crime deterrence and the role of forensic technology in creating safer public spaces.
This initiative follows the formal announcement in April of a partnership between DeterTech and Brentford FC, naming DeterTech as the Club’s official site security partner. The collaboration has since extended beyond football grounds and infrastructure, reaching into community initiatives aligned with both organisations’ social responsibility goals.
The session provided attendees with an introduction to SmartWater, a forensic marking product owned by DeterTech. Marketed as a traceable liquid, SmartWater is designed to mark personal possessions with a unique identifier. In law enforcement, it has been used to link suspects to crime scenes and has contributed to securing convictions across a range of offences, including mobile phone theft and residential burglary. According to DeterTech, SmartWater retains a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases.
Each participant at the event received a SmartWater marking kit to apply to personal items such as phones and bicycles. The intention behind this hands-on distribution is twofold: to promote awareness of crime prevention technology and to empower young people with tools that could deter theft.
Jared Fairlie, National Business Development Manager at DeterTech, commented on the importance of direct engagement: “Sessions like these are valuable, not only for the educational content they deliver but for the space they provide young people to engage with safety-related topics in a supportive environment. Community input also allows us to better tailor our services to specific local concerns.”
Brentford FC has emphasised the value of working with industry partners who are willing to play an active role in community initiatives. Adam Ward, Head of Partnership Services at the club, noted: “DeterTech’s willingness to share their knowledge with the young people involved in our programmes is commendable. These sessions contribute to broader goals around awareness and community resilience.”
The collaboration between DeterTech and Brentford FC Trust illustrates how commercial partnerships can be leveraged beyond brand visibility, offering practical outcomes for local communities. For DeterTech, it also demonstrates a strategic alignment between its operational goals and wider societal engagement, particularly around education and early crime prevention.
As the security sector increasingly focuses on public-private collaboration to tackle crime at multiple levels—from critical infrastructure to personal safety—initiatives like this represent a grounded example of how that partnership can look in practice.