Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s something Oak Bay Const. Ben Lanthier has had his eye on for some time.
Cst Lanthier spends Sat night at CPTED Course (Crime Prevention thru Environmental Design) to keep #oakbay safe. pic.twitter.com/Hpzj4LydCh
— Oak Bay Police (@OakBayPolice) April 29, 2018
CPTED is an approach to building and property planning and development that reduces opportunities for crime. Communities, neighbourhoods, individual homes, and other buildings, streets, and parks can all be made safer through the application of design principles that make it more difficult to carry out inappropriate or criminal activities.
Married to an urban planner, it’s training Lanthier eyed for a while – protection by design.
It didn’t arise in his service with the RCMP before coming to Oak Bay in late 2016, but it did with implementation of the latest OBPD strategic plan.
“It’s one of those good things that has a solid foundation to help deter crime or deal with crime before it gets worse,” Lanthier said.
He completed the three-day program in Langford earlier this month. It involves looking at homes and businesses and essentially thinking like a criminal to deal with design or natural flaws; it means looking at an environment and what might make a home or business an easier target such as lighting or hedges.
“There’s a very fine line between privacy and security,” Lanthier said, adding its his goal to help homeowners find that balance.
It’s a multifaceted concept, he notes, that includes planners, architects, bylaw and law enforcement in a proactive role during development processes. For the now, with already-built infrastructure, it can mean making changes.
“It’s just to give that power back,” Lanthier said.
cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com
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