Western District Station 8900 Freedom Center Blvd Manassas VA Phone: Prince William County Police Department Crime Prevention Unit

Crime Prevention Unit  First Sergeant  Three Sworn Officers  One Crime Prevention Specialist (civilian)  Western District Station in Manassas  Schedules vary daily/weekly  Typically Adult Education Special Operations Bureau

Community Watch Programs 346+ Neighborhood Watches 39 Fleet Watches 30+ Worship Watches 70+ Business Watches Total: 485 Watches (and always growing)

Crime Prevention Specialists Each member certified – DCJS Basic 40 hour Crime Prevention Class General Instructor certification Additional 80 hours of Crime Prevention related material Re-certify every three years

Community Outreach / Education Crime Reporting Home Security Personal Safety Identity Theft Community programs Terrorism Awareness Prevention (TAP) Training - Citizens

Training - Businesses Crime Reporting Personal Safety Work Place Violence Robbery Prevention Terrorism Awareness Shoplifting / Theft Prevention Bad Checks Credit Card Fraud

Security Assessments -CPTED Site Plans Lighting Surveys (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) Residential Security Assessment Business Security Assessment

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (C.P.T.E.D) based on a theory that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to: A reduction in the incidence of crime and the fear of crime. An improvement in the quality of life.

What does that mean? Basically, CPTED is about using your environment to reduce crime and improve the quality of life.

Principles/Techniques of CPTED Natural Surveillance Natural Access Control Territorial Reinforcement Maintenance

Natural Surveillance Features that do the following:  Maximize the visibility of people, parking areas and building entrances/exits.  Keeping doors and windows clear of obstructions.  Front porches.  Appropriate nighttime lighting.  Landscaping should allow clear viewing.  Minimize hiding places.  Tree branches no lower than 6-8 feet.  Shrubs no higher than 3 feet. The placement of physical features, activities and people in a way that maximizes visibility is one concept directed toward keeping intruders observable, and therefore less likely to commit criminal acts.

Natural Access Control Another design concept directed primarily at decreasing crime opportunity by denying access to crime targets and creating a perception of risk for offenders. Limit access, so legitimate users will be comfortable and illegitimate users will not be comfortable.  Increasing the risk perceived by offenders by controlling or restricting their movement and placing under surveillance. Ex: Reception desk; Neighborhoods with one entry/exit

Territorial Reinforcement Expressing Ownership Physical design can also create or extend a sphere of influence. Users are encouraged to develop a sense of territorial control, while potential offenders, perceiving this control, are discouraged. This concept includes features that define property lines and distinguish between private and public spaces using landscape plantings, pavement designs, gateway treatments, appropriate signage and “open” fences.

Maintenance Deterioration and blight indicate less concern and control by the intended users of a site and indicate a greater tolerance of disorder. Proper maintenance prevents reduced visibility due to plant overgrowth and obstructed, or inoperative, lighting while serving as an additional expression of territoriality and ownership. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back from windows, doors and walkways. Keep shrubs trimmed to 3 feet and prune the lower branches of trees up to 7 feet to maintain clear visibility. Use exterior lighting at night and keep it in working order. Keep litter and trash picked up and the yard neat and free of items that might attract theft.

Crime Prevention Events National Night Out– August 5 th Crime Prevention Month – Oct. 18 th Event Golf Tournament with Crime Prevention Council- June 6 th Community events Neighborhood Watch Training- Monthly Public Education

Crime Alerts Incidents in county notification eservices/enotifications /subscribe.asp

Police Representatives Health and Safety Council Clean Community Council Citizen Corp Council Chamber of Commerce Emergency Operations Committee Fair and Impartial Policing Committee

Certified Crime Prevention Community State program to recognize and certify localities that have implemented a defined set of community safety strategies identified by the state Department of Criminal Justice Services To reduce the fear of crime through the development and implementation of community safety plans

Jan. 29, First county in VA to earn the designation 12 core community safety elements 7 optional safety elements Recertify every three years June 2014 is our re-certification year Certified Crime Prevention Community

Online Crime Reporting

Using the Prince William County Police Online Reporting System, you can report the following incidents: Larceny / Theft Larceny / Theft From Auto Suspicious Incidents Vandalism Hit and Run Harassing Calls, Texts and s Lost Property Vandalism to Auto Supplement to a Report Already Filed …as long as there is not a suspect at the time of reporting…

Questions? Prince William Police Crime Prevention Unit