Community safety
Community safety and crime prevention are increasingly regarded as being the responsibility of the community at large, in addition to the police and the justice system.
Enhanced community safety and more effective crime prevention are best achieved by an integrated approach which involves the local community.
Council works in partnership with key stakeholders to develop strategies to address the issues of safety and crime prevention in our community.
There are two key issues relating to community safety:
- Real threats to safety and security
- Perceived threats to safety and security (which may not accord with any real threat but which affect the quality of life in our community)
The key concerns relating to community safety in Newcastle include:
- Concern about personal safety in the CBD, car parks and in the major inner city parks
- That according to statistical data, Newcastle has a higher incidence of property crime than crimes against a person
- The need for more focused and coordinated strategies dealing with early intervention, crime prevention and perceptions about crime
- The need to promote equitable access to public space
Council’s Community Safety Officer works with Council’s Community Safety Panel – a committee of Councillors, government agencies and community representatives that oversees the development of crime prevention plans. Strategies for community safety are informed by the City of Newcastle Crime Prevention Plan (2001).
Recent actions to increase public safety include:
- The development of three Crime Prevention Plans for specific problem areas
- Development of the Late Night Transport Strategy and implementation of NightLink
- Establishment of the Nightcare Program
- The PCYC Mobile Activity Van, a joint venture with Lake Macquarie City Council, PCYC and NSW Police which purchased a custom built mobile activity van which can be used in crime hot spots
The Community Safety Program works closely with the Liquor Accord on joint projects.
