Rural crime was one of the leading issues raised during Lacombe County’s Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw review, and has been highlighted as a concern during recent meetings with local crime prevention groups and during town hall meetings set up by MP Blaine Calkins.
Earlier this month, Lacombe County council approved the release of Lacombe County’s Guide to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—referred to as CPTED (pronounced SEP-TED) —sets out easy to incorporate design principles for properties, which can greatly reduce the chance of a crime occurring
In addition to the CPTED Guide, Lacombe County held professional training for numerous County staff who are now certified CPTED Inspectors.
These individuals can conduct site assessments for homes and businesses, as well as review design plans for future developments.
This training was paid for through the Rural Crime Prevention Program, which the County had allocated funding for, and included representatives from many urban neighbours and local community groups.
“We know how concerned our ratepayers are about rural crime, and we wanted to give them another tool in their toolbox to help protect their families, homes, and businesses from crime,” explained Senior Community Peace Officer Mark Sproule.
“Our trained staff are ready to come out to assess a property for simple adjustments, like landscaping, fencing or lighting.”
Because Lacombe County is dedicated to the safety of its residents, it now has a policy to support and encourage developers to integrate CPTED principles into the design of their developments.
These guidelines were developed to assist developers and landowners in understanding CPTED principles, why they are beneficial, and how they can be incorporated into homes, businesses and any other development projects.
“CPTED principles can be applied not only to industrial, commercial and residential multi-lot development but also to individual developments like businesses, acreages and farm sites,” explained Dale Freitag, Lacombe County manager of planning services.
“Homes, businesses and recreational areas should provide safe and secure environments, and applying CPTED principles to developments can make a tremendous difference and allows for a proactive approach to reducing crime.”
The CPTED Guide is available online at www.lacombecounty.com.
-Weber