Community Safety and Crime Prevention
Community Safety is more than just crime prevention and emergency management, it's about:
- sharing responsibility for each other
- promoting our wellbeing
- enjoying our surroundings
- being proud of them and
- creating partnerships across the community to maintain them
What is Crime Prevention?
Successful crime prevention is based on partnerships - which means everyone plays a role.
With the right knowledge we can all take control and make a difference.
Crime prevention is based on the idea that we can all do things to reduce the likelihood of crime occurring. The solution does not always involve more police, complex alarm systems or security patrols. For crime prevention to be successful, creative thinking is essential.
Sometimes a crime prevention initiative can be as simple as trimming some bushes and shrubs or encouraging a taxi company to locate their taxi rank in a more accessible location.
What is the link between Community Safety & Crime Prevention?
Crime prevention is a result of good community safety. If we take pride in our environment we also help make sure that it's always looking its best.
Research shows that well maintained areas are less likely to experience crime like graffiti and/or vandalism.
Another example is what criminologists have termed 'natural surveillance'. Research suggests that if people make positive use of areas, their presence is sufficient to deter potential criminals.
Being out and about enjoying our parks serves a double purpose, firstly it is a healthy activity, secondly, our presence as a community in our open spaces will deter illegal activitiess.
The link between wellbeing, community safety and crime prevention is also very important when we consider issues of tolerance. Being able to accept people of different cultures and various age groups allows us to benefit from the positive contribution we all make to our community. It also allows us to overcome stereotypes that at times may make us feel unsafe.
Our Partnership
Community Safety and Crime Prevention is everybody's responsibility. This may include:
- Residents trimming trees to expose a dark area to street lights
- Bike riders wearing helmets and using lights at night
- Shop owners keeping less cash in their registers
- Scout groups planting trees in a reserve
- Schools painting a mural in a shopping centre
- Council providing safety tips and information to residents and business
This is where we come together as a community. We all care for our home, we all want it to look its best, we all want everyone to benefit from it ... 'Lets Work Together for Community Safety'.
Get involved
If you'd like to know more, contact our Community Safety Officer on 9789 9549.
Community Safety factsheets are available below in a range of community languages:
