Crime Prevention is Terrorism Prevention
from the National Crime Prevention Council

LA Community Policing is a proud member of the National Crime Prevention Council, which is sponsored by the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Here is a recent article which makes the point that Crime Prevention is Terrorism Prevention.

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Crime Prevention is Terrorism Prevention
NCPC Feature Article

By now, we have all become familiar with the phrase homeland security. Over the past year, the government has worked to develop and coordinate a national strategy to strengthen protection against terrorist threats or attacks on the United States. Work has also involved coordinating federal terrorist prevention and protection activities with local and state governments in the areas of prevention, preparedness, detection, protection, response and recovery, and incident management. Actions encompassed in homeland security are the same for crime prevention. The practical application of crime prevention involves a pattern of attitudes and behaviors directed at reducing the threat of crime, enhancing the safety and security of our country, and positively influencing the quality of life in society, thereby developing environments where crime and/or terrorism cannot flourish.

In the past year, local law enforcement departments have had to turn resources toward fighting terror, police protection has been diverted from the streets, and crime prevention officers have been reassigned to support patrols around public facilities and to provide security at federal and state offices. Crime prevention practitioners have had to shift priorities and help their communities by offering training in homeland security and showing the connection between basic crime prevention strategies and the desire to create safe and secure environments. Crime prevention practitioners did not need to take on new direction in helping to secure their communities, but rather build on what was already in place. It is now clear that crime prevention is terrorism prevention. Safety and security are essential. Neighborhood watch, reporting suspicious activity, and home security is everyone’s business. We must be secure, but we must also be involved. Volunteering, starting an online neighborhood newsletter, or spending time mentoring neighborhood children are all ways individuals can get involved in the community. Homeland security objectives are built upon such basic crime prevention strategies.

The focus of both crime prevention and terrorism prevention is citizen engagement. Citizen engagement provides basic support while law enforcement officers engage in homeland security related activities. Several examples of citizen involvement follow.

	The Pasadena, CA, Police Department matched the old concept of Neighborhood Watch with the new idea of securing recreational vehicles at the Rose Parade last year. Parade Watch, as it came to be known, harnessed the energy of volunteers, looked out for neighbors, and recognized individuals as part of a larger whole to these temporary neighborhoods. For more information, call 626-744-4501.
	Emergency management professionals, municipal professionals, and volunteers meet monthly in Tullahoma, TN, to discuss safety and security projects and hold disaster preparedness seminars. The Emergency Preparedness Committee develops strategies for dealing with a variety of emergency-related issues. For more information, call 931-455-2648.
	Stafford County, VA, has established the Emergency Response Citizen Action Team, a volunteer-based group on call when 9-1-1 operators get backed up in disaster situations. The group consists largely of retired professionals supported by vigorous training vigorous training and refresher courses that are held quarterly. In the last year, volunteers provided over 470 hours of service. For more information, call 540-659-8603.
	In West Palm Beach County, Florida, Caring Agencies Respond (CAR) trains in-home heath care providers in disaster preparedness. CAR trains nurses to aid their clients in the event of an emergency and temporary self-care techniques to use until they arrive. CAR trains nurses using videos, a self-preparedness test, and through discussions about county programs, evacuation issues, and emergency shelter issues. For more information call 561-233-3500.
	Vancouver, WA's, Office of Neighborhoods developed a family emergency preparedness manual of resources, distributed free at the city’s annual neighborhood conference. Resources in the guide are categorized in the areas of community, family, home, and neighborhood. Within each section there are listings of city departments and phone numbers, instructional information, and a place to record property and health information. For more information, call 360-696-8222.
	The Fremont, CA, Fire Department established the Community Emergency Response Team program to help residents cope with disasters. The program trains residents to become self-sufficient in the hours immediately after a disaster, and to participate in volunteer search, rescue, and first aid activities. The information is provided in three-hour courses covering earthquake awareness, emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation, utility controls, first aid, and search and rescue techniques. For more information, call 510-494-4822.
	Sterling Heights, MI’s disaster preparedness program is based on the understanding that residents must share responsibility for their own protection. The program encourages citizens to take actions prior to a major emergency or disaster, to increase their chances of survival and ability to cope, understand the hazards faced in their community, and support state and local government, volunteer, or privately sponsored activities to promote protection at the family, neighborhood, and community levels. The Family Emergency Plan Workbook is designed to be used by families to create their own personal emergency plan. Workbooks are mailed to new city residents. For more information, call 810-977-6123.

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National Crime Prevention Council

Visit the website at:

www.ncpc.org

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The National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign, sponsored by the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, is substantially funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.