The Downtown Spokane Partnership encourages members to improve downtown safety and security with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. CPTED is a crime prevention strategy that uses the design of the physical environment to minimize opportunities for crime.
Some cities write CPTED guidelines into their design standards, others provide CPTED reviews for downtown business owners, and others offer financial support to encourage CPTED principles.
Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter reports that the Downtown Spokane Partnership offers rebates of up to $2,500 for physical improvements such as adding new or updating current light sources, modifying vegetation growth, removing opaque walls that block sight lines, placing signage that helps show ownership and area restrictions, installing security systems and cameras, and restricting access to unsafe “ambush” areas.
The partnership explains the rationale for the program: “Resources for police and security presence are finite, and while additional officers are needed; practically speaking they nor private security can be in all places at all times. The designing and modification of a property’s physical environment can go a long way toward reducing criminal and nuisance behaviors. When guided by best practice research, these improvements are proven methods to leveraging those scarce resources in both the deterring and solving of crimes.”
Strategies for reducing crime and the fear of crime are covered regularly in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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