Crime prevention design advisors
Following a recent restructure of Crime Reduction, the four Crime Prevention Design Advisors now form part of the wider Crime Prevention and Reduction Team which sits within the Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships Department.
What is a Crime Prevention Design Advisor (CPDA)?
A Crime Prevention Design Advisor (CPDA) is a trained Crime Prevention and Reduction Advisor (CPRA) who has undertaken additional extensive training in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) and they administer the ACPO security initiative Secured by Design (SbD) and the Safer Parking awards.
The ultimate aim of a CPDA is to design out opportunities for people to commit crime in the built environment, and create safe sustainable communities where people want to live, work and visit. This is achieved by working in partnership with local planning authorities, planners, architects, developers, including trainee architects and planners, neighbourhood teams, community safety teams, and other specialist colleagues. This work is carried out at various stages of the planning process, the earlier the better, and by our involvement we aim to create safer more sustainable communities.
The CPDA will often make contact with neighbourhood teams, counter terrorism security advisors (CTSA), anti-social behaviour officers, property services and CCTV operators in order to fully understand the policing issues facing areas where major developments are planned.
What qualifications and experience does my local CPDA have?
All CPDAs are qualified to the national standards through the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) or equivalent, and most have completed a City and Guilds advanced certificate in Crime Prevention and Environmental Design.
What does a CPDA do?
No-one can totally eliminate crime but research and practical examples show that crime risks and the fear of crime can be significantly reduced by addressing the development design, layout and physical security at the design stage. It is crucial for a CPDA to become involved with a development at the earliest stage as it is very costly and difficult to alter a design once planning permission has been agreed. A CPDA advises on a range of construction projects from major housing developments, regeneration of town centres, public buildings, and schools to smaller Secured by Design projects of just a few housing units.
A CPDA will make representations to planning officers on behalf of Thames Valley Police and this is done by referring to existing planning law and guidance and referring to principles of CPTED and SbD. This ensures that crime and disorder are considered as a key consideration in the planning process.
In order to fully understand the policing issues facing areas where major developments are planned, the CPDA will often make contact with neighbourhood teams, counter terrorism security advisors (CTSA), anti-social behaviour officers, property services, CCTV operators. The information gained through this consultation process will be taken into consideration when determining a response to a pre-planning consultation or a formal planning application.
Who is my CPDA?
There are four CPDAs geographically based across the Force. Contact your local CPDA (opens new window).
Where does a CPDA fit within the planning system?
Very simply, your local CPDA fits in at every stage of the planning process. The police are not statutory consultants, and this is currently under review, but through partnership working they can influence the design of the built environment, ask for planning conditions and where appropriate lodge formal objections to proposed developments. The earlier a CPDA becomes involved with any planning application the better, as the advice given will be easier to accommodate by the architects and planners and there will be less time taken up at the later stages of the application process. However, even at the late stage of plans going for approval, the CPDA’s consultation will still be sought and the advice taken into account.
What is Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)?
CPTED is the science applied by the CPDA when giving advice, and encompasses a whole range of elements to be considered when designing out crime - these include access and movement, structure, surveillance, ownership, activity, and management and maintenance.
What is Secured by Design (SbD)?
SbD is a flagship initiative of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). It is a minimum standard for the layout and design (part 1) and physical security (part 2) within a development. Applicants should make themselves familiar with the relevant sections of the website www.securedbydesign.com (opens new window) and consult with their Crime Prevention Design Advisor (CPDA) for the site specific information and follow the application process outlined therein. An applicant should be advised to contact your CPDA to discuss the development before completing the application checklist, submitting a planning application or completing a Design and Access Statement.
Secured by Design may only be used as part of the marketing strategy if there has been compliance with both parts 1 and 2 of the SBD New Homes 2010 guidance document.
Who needs Secured by Design?
Most housing developments have an element of affordable housing in them and Housing Associations have to build their houses to the physical standards set out in SbD. Their funding is dependent on it and it is now becoming common practice for private sale properties to be built to the same standards so that developers can achieve points awarded for security under the building industry scheme know as ‘The Code For Sustainable Homes’. Achieving SbD shows that they are keen to develop safe sustainable environments and homes. SbD can only be administered by qualified CPDAs.
What is the Park Mark Safer Parking award?
This is another flagship initiative of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities. This award is given to the car park operator when a satisfactory risk assessment has been carried out by the CPDA. For customers using the Park Mark Safer Parking facilities, it means that the area has been vetted by the police and has measures put in place to create a safe environment. For further information, visit www.britishparking.co.uk (opens new window).
Training architects and student architects
Every CPDA has been trained to deliver presentations approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to architects and planners. These presentations raise awareness of the police security initiative, Secured by Design, and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. The presentations count towards the continued professional development required by RIBA members and is available to any planning office, architects, university or educational establishment and any office that falls under these categories that has new members of staff that require the input.