Frankenmuth

23 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a tool that is used by Crime Prevention Officers throughout our nation to assist homeowners, business owners, schools, and multi-housing facilities from becoming targets of crime. It is a set of design principles used to discourage crime and promote building security. Practicing CPTED around your building will discourage or impede criminal behavior, and encourage honest citizens to keep a watchful eye. There are five main principles used for CPTED: • Natural surveillance • Natural access control • Territorial reinforcement • Maintenance • Target hardening What does this all mean? NATURAL SURVEILLANCE Criminals do not like to be seen or recognized. In order to prevent being seen they will choose areas where they can hide and have an easy escape. In other words, if your residence is dark and your landscaping is overgrown, or there are bulky items outside that can provide a hiding place, it is more likely that a crime could occur. Areas that provide places for people to hide also means that it is difficult for your neighbors to see what is happening on your property. Criminals for the most part will stay away from buildings that are well lit, especially around doors and windows, both inside and outside. Keeping shrubbery low to the ground and trees trimmed to allow a clear sight line to your property prevents natural hiding spaces. Keeping an open view of windows and doors allows neighbors, or someone passing by, the ability to see suspicious or criminal activity. Remember, criminals do not like to be seen! The offender should feel uncomfortable like they are being watched. NATURAL ACCESS CONTROL Using natural access control can deny a criminal from wrongdoing. This can be done by clearly marking the approach to building and keeping persons in a defined area. This can be accomplished through landscaping, pavement and lighting. This is why customers are clearly guided to the front doors of businesses; why parks have paved pathways to keep users in certain areas and why places of worship have clearly marked entries for worship. Natural access control helps guides users through the environment. TERRITORIAL REINFORCEMENT Using the territorial principle, you create a clear distinction between public and private property. This technique is a great tool for your property, by creating a space that is well kept gives a sense of ownership. Having a well-kept home or business by keeping the yard mowed, lighting along your walkway, a small decorative fence that divides your property from the sidewalk all shows that YOU own this property. This may challenge people who don't belong there. For example: an intruder would have a hard time blending in. The results implement territorial reinforcement. You gain a feeling that "this is my property", while intruders are put on the defensive. MAINTENANCE Keeping your property well maintained tells people that you care about what happens in the area. This discourages crimes and vandalism and reinforces a strong sense of ownership. This includes everything from mowing the grass to repairing broken windows. A well maintained home or property sends a message that the owner cares – and is present and watching. TARGET HARDENING Another approach to CPTED is target hardening. It is a strategy used to make your building more difficult to enter by force. Locking your doors prevents a person from simply walking into your home. Keeping garage doors closed both at night and during the day can prevent someone from hiding out until an opportune time arises for them to enter your home or business. Using deadbolt locks and reinforce strike- plates on doors makes it harder to kick in a door. There are many other tools that can be used to "target harden" your property. Using principals of CPTED can help residents and businesses keep Frankenmuth a safe community by preventing crime before it happens by making crime harder to commit. The Frankenmuth Police Department offers free Security Surveys to our residents, businesses, and schools. If you would like to learn more about how to protect your property and the simple inexpensive tools you can use to improve security of your building. Please call Crime Prevention Specialist Lisa Hill at 989-652-8371, ext. 169. What is CPTED? (pronounced "sep-ted")

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