Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

CPTED is an approach to building and property planning and development that reduces opportunities for crime.

Communities, neighbourhoods, individual homes, and other buildings, streets, and parks can all be made safer through the application of design principles that make it more difficult to carry out inappropriate or criminal activities.

CPTED can reduce crime and the fear of crime through:

• Territoriality - fostering residents’ interaction, vigilance, and control over their neighbourhood.
• Surveillance - maximizing the ability to spot suspicious people and activities.
• Activity support - encouraging the intended use of public space by residents.
• Hierarchy of space - identifying ownership by delineating private space from public space through real or symbolic boundaries.
• Access control/target hardening - using physical barriers, security devices and tamper-resistant materials to restrict entrance.
• Environment - a design or location decision that takes into account the surrounding environment and minimizes the use of space by conflicting groups.
• Image/Maintenance - ensuring that a building or area is clean, well-maintained, and graffiti-free.

The North Vancouver RCMP offers CPTED evaluations for free to the citizens of North Vancouver. During an evaluation, a police officer trained in CPTED will attend the location in question to photograph and review the area. They will then compose a formal report with suggestions about how to change the environment of the location to reduce crime.

For more information or to request this service, please contact the Front Counter at:

North Vancouver RCMP Detachment
147 East 14th Street
North Vancouver, BC
V7L 2N4
Non-Emergency: 604-985-1311
Facsimile: 604-985-0935
Email: nvanrcmp@rcmp-grc.gc.ca