The Establishment of the Local Council for Crime Prevention (LCCP) in Piraeus
One of the most important milestones of the BeSecure-FeelSecure (BSFS) project, the Local Council for Crime Prevention (LCCP) for the Municipality of Piraeus, was established on the 15th of April 2020, in order to promote collaborative decision making between the main urban stakeholders of the city.
It was established under the guidance of the Laboratory of Urban Criminology of Panteion University and it was introduced as part of the Municipality of Piraeus organization.
The Council will focus its actions in crime prevention, in deflating the sense of fear of citizens and also in reducing the opportunities that favor actions of crime.
Its role is precautionary and informative hence, it is comprised of criminology experts, representatives of the urban authority, members of the local Police Department and Municipal police and also of the Piraeus Coastguard. These decision makers will be supported by the digital layer of the BSFS initiative, the CURiM platform.
The Council operates at local level and aspires to coordinate and implement actions to prevent petty crime.
Study
The LCCP will study the criminal situation in the Municipality of Piraeus and the crime prevention processes and activities that are in place.
Tailored Policy
The LCCP seeks to develop crime-prevention policies and strategies in order to enhance social cohesion and connectivity and engage the citizens’ solidarity against the causes of everyday crime.
Awareness
The LCCP will contribute in the implementation of awareness and training sessions with citizens, local business operators and students.
Interventions
The LCCP will decide on strategic interventions in the city’s facilities and operations to enhance urban security and the citizens’ perception of safety.
Meetings
Due to the Covid-19 situation, the physical meetings of the Council were not feasible. However, the LCCP members have gathered twice online since the Councils’ establishment, in order to discuss the Council’s role in the BSFS project and to identify and implement the first steps.
The first LCCP meeting took place on Friday 19th of June, 2020, when the Council proceeded with an introductory discussion on how it will operate and about its main objectives. The meeting covered a variety of issues such as:
- The participation of the LCCP in the objectives of the BSFS project and also its activity beyond the project
- The need to improve the citizen-police relationship
- The understaffed central Police Station of Piraeus
- The role and activities of the "Neighborhood Police"
- Ideas for approaching youngsters and informing them regarding the law
- The intention to mobilize the “Volunteers Office” of the Municipality of Piraeus in the context of the actions of LCCP
- The LCCP communication via social media
On the 21st of December 2020, the second meeting of the LCCP was held online with the participation of the presidents of the five municipal districts of Piraeus. This meeting allowed the Council and the local elected representatives to exchange opinions and come up with a joint strategy that tackles insecurity through various channels.
The presidents of the municipal districts were invited to communicate the problems that each district is facing with a periodic report to the LCCP so that the Council could suggest targeted actions for crime prevention in specific areas.
Among the topics discussed, particular emphasis was given on delinquent behaviors in playgrounds and abandoned buildings, illegal and improvised Roma camps and homelessness.
The meeting closed with a short brief by the BSFS Scientific supervisor Prof. Zarafonitou on the first findings of the diagnostic research on victimization and safety in the pilot areas, the 2nd and the 5th municipal districts.
The LCCP of Piraeus will meet again during 2021, as most of the important milestones of the BSFS project will have been implemented and the Council will be ready to tackle new challenges.
Links to the LCCP Piraeus:
Urban security
