Kent Police hosted their second ‘Designing Out Crime’ seminar, to show crime prevention techniques at new developments and homes at the planning stage reduce the opportunity for crime, and the fear of crime.
The seminar, at the county force’s headquarters in Maidstone, heard from Secured by Design (SBD) Senior Technical Officer Michael Brooke, pictured, and Kent Police DOCOs (Designing Out Crime Officers) Linda Mason and Adrian Fromm, Besides less crime, the benefits include reduced repair and maintenance, reduced demand on other emergency services and agencies, higher occupation levels, long-term sustainability and ultimately, reduced misery. The day also heard a presentation from a Counter Terrorism Security Advisor (CTSA).
Linda and Adrian work with architects, developers and planners to design out crime at the drawing board stage across Kent from the fringes of Greater London to the Channel ports. They are part of a national network of police officers and staff trained by Secured by Design, the national police crime prevention initiative, which works alongside police forces.
The audience of architects, developers, local authority planners and representatives from housing associations was urged that, whatever their role in the planning process, they should always consider new developments from the perspective of the criminal and to work with the police to put in place measures that will serve to deter criminals, creating a safe and sustainable community where people want to live, work and visit for years to come.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which sets out the Government’s planning policies for England, which is under review, highlights the need to create safe and accessible environments where crime and disorder and the fear of crime do not undermine quality of life or community cohesion.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires local government to exercise their functions with due regard to their likely effect on crime and disorder, and to do all they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in their local areas, including anti-social behaviour and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment.
Linda Mason said: “The seminars are designed to bring together those that help shape the built environment to hear bespoke presentations and have the opportunity to question speakers and liaise with one another. There was a presentation designed to help the attendees understand the techniques of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to meet the pace and variety of development in Kent. The improvements gained from this approach with planning officers from across the county will be beneficial now and in the future. The presentation also included details of the current crime trends and levels and how they can be addressed within the planning process.”
Michael Brooke also informed the event of SBD’s Police Preferred Specification for products such as doors and windows, which encourages manufacturers to produce products that are of consistent quality and robust enough to resist physical attack. SBD has a National Building Approval scheme, for companies and organisations commissioning construction work to achieve Building Regulation compliance for security. Guidance on SBD’s crime prevention techniques for a number of different building sectors and details of companies and products which meet the Police Preferred Specification are available on SBD’s website www.securedbydesign.com.
