Secure your home with free advice from the Spokane Police Department

May 20, 2022 4:01 PM

Emily Blume,

Posted: May 20, 2022 4:01 PM

Updated: May 21, 2022 4:20 PM

by Emily Blume

SPOKANE, Wash. – A free service, offered by the Spokane Police Department, could make your home safer.

The “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design” also known as “CPTED” pairs you with an officer who will come to your house or business and make suggestions that could protect you from crime.

The Southside Community Center is taking advantage of the tool. The organization has been hit with catalytic converter thefts, vehicle prowling, and people using drugs in their area.

Here at the Southside Community Center, they’ve had a variety of issues with safety around the building. Thanks to a service offered by @SpokanePD they now have options to make their space safer through environmental design. This program is known as CPTED. @kxly4news pic.twitter.com/qjgWR90MrQ

— Emily Blume (@emilyblume_kxly) May 20, 2022

With CPTED, they are able to come up with a plan to implement some changes quickly.

“They have a lot of high brush and trees and plants and so forth and a lot of step-downs and areas that are covered completely in trees so it leaves a lot of space for someone to crawl into to camp overnight or hide in there and do their drugs or kind of hide off here, and wait for people to leave and go victimize cars,” said Officer Jake Willard.

They aim to “activate the areas” around the home or building by giving those inside the building a wide vantage point outside, giving them a clear view of what’s going on. Most of this involves landscaping, lights, and fencing.

The Southside Community Center doesn’t have the finances to make the changes, so its team is getting set up with a crew of volunteers through Community Oriented Policing Sevices (C.O.P.S.).

” Officer Jake was able to do a very comprehensive report with regards to any of the security issues we may have around a building that may have untoward people either hide or live, while we are here and it would be unbeknownst to us because some of the trees or shrubbery prevent us from having access to full sight,” said Shelagh Camak, Interm Director at Southside Community Center.

There is no requirement for eligibility in the CPTEG program. Any person or business can utilize the service at no cost.

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