Crime Prevention Takes Park Back
King Edward Park is now a safer place because of work carried out by the Brisbane Central District Crime Prevention office and Brisbane City Council (BCC).
Police identified a number of crimes carried out within the park, around the steps known as ‘Jacobs Ladder’. The offenders were utilizing the parks natural features by hiding in the bushes adjacent to Jacobs Ladder. An on-site safety audit was conducted by police and it was decided environmental factors played a role in the offences happening.
To combat this, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies was implemented. CPTED is aimed at encouraging the legitimate use of public spaces and reducing the opportunities for crime. Enhancing natural surveillance meant clearing the sides of the pathway to enable a person to have a clear view of the entire park at either end of the steps.
The lighting around the park was dull and the ground vegetation tall (about two metres in some areas). This created several closed in areas or separate ‘rooms’, where a person could not see what was around the corner.
The partnership between the BCC and police has lead to work being started to rejuvenate the park with appropriate vegetation and grasslands and improved lighting at night.
An application has also been made to the BCC to extend the City Safe Camera Program to this area with a request for a camera to be installed at the end of Jacobs Ladder.
Congratulations to all groups involved in this project. Your efforts have gone a long was to making this area a safer place to be.
Last Updated: 21/04/2006