Built on decades of frontline experience, 1705 Consultancy was founded by people who have lived the consequences of getting it wrong — and dedicated their careers to making sure you never have to.
1705 Consultancy was born from a simple but powerful truth: organisations that are properly prepared can face any crisis with calm, confidence and compassion.
Our founders have spent decades at the sharp end of emergency response, policing, and security — not in boardrooms, but on the ground, working alongside families in crisis, managing high-risk offenders, and navigating the kind of situations that most people never encounter.
That lived experience is the foundation of everything we do. We don’t teach from textbooks. We teach from experience — and we help your organisation build the capability to respond when it matters most.
We believe that safety is built on trust, integrity, and genuine human understanding. Every organisation we work with deserves honest, evidence-based advice, not off-the-shelf solutions, and we hold ourselves to the same high standards we helped shape throughout our careers in law enforcement.
We are guided by a deep sense of responsibility. That means putting people first, treating every client’s risks as seriously as our own, and never losing sight of the real-world consequences that sit behind every threat assessment or training programme.
Rob Brettell is a former Detective Inspector with over 23 years in UK policing, much of it spent working with families at the worst moments of their lives. As a Family Liaison Officer and later a Family Liaison Co-ordinator, he supported relatives following fatal collisions, serious crime and major investigations — guiding them through trauma, court processes and life-changing decisions with honesty and compassion.
Alongside leading complex investigations and managing high-risk offenders, including those linked to Counter Terrorism and serious violence, Rob never lost sight of the human impact behind every incident.
That experience now shapes his work at 1705 Consultancy. Through counter terrorism training, risk assessment and crisis preparedness, he helps organisations prepare properly — so leaders can make calm decisions under pressure and, when it matters most, look families in the eye knowing everything possible was done to protect them.
Emma is a former Hostage and Crisis Negotiator with over 25 years in policing, much of it spent speaking to people in their most desperate and dangerous moments. She has negotiated in cases involving kidnap, extortion and terrorism, often working quietly behind the scenes to bring people home safely and prevent situations from escalating further.
As a Tactical Firearms Commander for more than a decade, Emma operated in high threat environments where decisions had to be calm, lawful and proportionate. Her role was never simply about command. It was about judgement, communication and understanding human behaviour under extreme pressure. She has supported families waiting for news, advised senior leaders during unfolding crises and worked with British nationals caught up in incidents overseas.
Her experience extends beyond operational policing. Emma now works with executive teams, government departments and international partners to help them manage risk before it becomes reality. She supports leaders facing internal conflict, reputational threats and high stakes public events, providing mediation, negotiation and communication training rooted in real world experience rather than theory.
Whether you're preparing for Martyn's Law, need a risk assessment, or want to build a security plan from the ground up, our team is ready to help.
