Crime Prevention and Community Strategy

LAST Thursday saw Wollongong City Council launch its new approach towards crime prevention throughout the city.

Lord Mayor Alex Darling was on hand with Minister for Police David Campbell, Member for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon, Member for Wollongong Noreen Hay and representatives from Wollongong Local Area Command and Lake Illawarra Local Area Command.

Council's "Crime Prevention and Community Strategy" is a three part document which recognises the role Council has to play in developing and implementing strategies which help other agencies and the community to address these two important aspects.

The first section outlines key priority areas for Council's internal arms to focus upon when addressing crime prevention and community safety, consolidating both issues as core to Council's general business and projects.

Areas of focus include the development of Council policies to create a consistent approach to crime prevention, as well as the development of internal and external partnerships to deliver projects such as the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design concept.

The plan also commits Council to include a program of safety audits and consideration of crime prevention and community safety as part of development assessment.

Section two describes priority areas for these projects as a part of the NSW Attorney General's Department Safe Communities COMPACT program. COMPACT programs can receive government funding once endorsed by Council, the Attorney General's Department and Police.

The plan highlights five key areas including drug and alcohol related crime, public space offences, young people and community safety, women and safety and promotion of crime prevention and community safety within the city.

The final section provides background information and data on crime types and their cost to the general community to give focus to the plan's key areas.

Cr Darling said the launch of the plan strengthened Council's commitment to local crime prevention and community safety which has been built from policy adopted in 2000.

He said most people associate crime prevention and community safety with enforcement agencies such as the police and the courts, however he said Council could certainly do its bit to assist these agencies in keeping the community safe.

"This plan outlines the role Council will actively play in promoting both issues through both educational and practical means. It provides many opportunities for public participation and so I hope it is embraced by the wider community as it is implemented," Cr Darling said.