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Did you answer the call?

I saw "Reimagining Public Safety" as a call to action, expecting a significant collaborative effort to enhance safety, security, and quality of life in our communities. I often ponder who responded to this call and what steps have been taken to improve our communities' quality of life. Where is the action we anticipated? Why haven't we witnessed the collaboration and improvements in safety, security, and quality of life? Did we truly grasp that "Reimagining Public Safety" required action? Who are the individuals poised to drive change and take action? Who has stepped up to answer this call?


Reimagining Public Safety is not merely a concept but a call for all of us to unite and effect change. Instead of waiting for others to act, we must recognize that we are the ones who must initiate change. One effective approach is through engagement, awareness, and the implementation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.


We are the ones who must take action, as waiting idly is leading us nowhere. Together, we must engage in our communities. I responded to the call by becoming a Certified CPTED Practitioner and collaborating with like-minded individuals dedicated to crime prevention. Identify your allies, and if they do not include a Certified CPTED Practitioner, consider becoming one yourself. Establishing a force multiplier involving the police, stakeholders, and community members is essential in creating secure environments. Implementing CPTED principles is a powerful way to achieve this goal. CPTED involves designing physical environments to deter criminal behavior, promoting safety and security. By integrating CPTED principles into building and public space planning, the police, stakeholders, and communities can collaborate to prevent crime and enhance overall quality of life.


Involving all relevant parties in the planning and execution of CPTED strategies fosters a sense of shared responsibility. Police insights into crime patterns, stakeholder expertise in urban planning, and community knowledge of their neighborhoods are all invaluable. This collaboration ensures that CPTED strategies are customized to each community's specific needs and concerns, enhancing their effectiveness in crime prevention.


Creating environments perceived as safe and welcoming is a crucial aspect of CPTED. Designing well-lit, easily accessible spaces devoid of potential hiding spots for criminals instills a sense of security in residents and visitors. This can lead to increased community engagement and willingness to participate in crime prevention initiatives. Through joint efforts to implement CPTED principles, the police, stakeholders, and communities can develop spaces that nurture a sense of ownership and pride, reducing vulnerability to criminal activities.


CPTED also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a sense of natural surveillance in public spaces. By understanding CPTED principles in building and landscape design in our communities

that maximizes visibility and encourages people to be aware of their surroundings, opportunities for criminal behavior are reduced. This principle is particularly effective when combined with active community policing efforts, as it helps to create a culture of vigilance and cooperation among residents. When police, stakeholders, and communities work together to promote natural surveillance, the likelihood of crime is diminished, leading to safer and more vibrant neighborhoods.

Join others in your community to establish a force multiplier amongst police, stakeholders, and community members. Together, design out crime by implementing CPTED principles to create safe and secure environments. By fostering collaboration, creating inviting spaces, and promoting natural surveillance, crime prevention efforts can be significantly enhanced. By working together to implement CPTED strategies, police, stakeholders, and communities can create environments that not only deter criminal activity but also promote community engagement and a sense of pride. Ultimately, the success of CPTED relies on the active participation and commitment of all parties involved, making it a powerful tool in creating safer and more resilient communities.


Answer the Call!




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