I amsterdam - Public Safety

The Amsterdam Security Plan - social and physical safety
“Amsterdam must and will be safe.” With those words in its 2002-2006 Policy Agreement, the College of Mayor and Aldermen made it crystal clear that it intends to improve public safety in Amsterdam significantly and quickly. To make Amsterdam safer, the local authority has compiled an integrated security policy addressing both the social and the physical aspects of the issue. Physical safety refers to the response to fires, disasters and the like. The policy here involves reducing the chances of such emergencies happening, not least by prioritising preventive measures like fire safety in major urban expansion and regeneration projects from the design phase onwards. Policy in respect of major public events and the city’s response to terrorism are also covered.

Social Safety
Social safety means tackling the insecurity caused by nuisance behaviour. At the heart of this policy is a permanent focus upon the specific groups responsible for much of this trouble, rather than responding to individual crimes. A number of major problem groups have been identified: the so-called 'hard core' of juvenile delinquents, drug-addicted recidivists, criminal illegal immigrants, recidivist non-addicts and perpetrators of domestic violence. It is believed that they account for the vast majority of activities which cause people to feel unsafe in the city. As well as tackling culprits, several locations and areas particularly susceptible to nuisance behaviour have been selected for a zonal approach to the problem. Some parts of Amsterdam have become plagued by higher levels of crime and nuisance. In them, all the local-authority services and other agencies – from the police to Dutch Railways – must work together to prevent “no-go areas” appearing.

Programme Successes
The College of Mayor and Alderman, the so-called 'Triangle Group' of the Mayor, the police and the public prosecution service and others concerned with public safety are continuing their activities in this area. The safety aspects of quality of life across the city are being developed in more detail by the boroughs in their local Security Action Plans. Adequate and effective enforcement is vital in making the public feel safer. This is not the task of the police alone, but also falls to other agencies. Technical resources like CCTV surveillance can make a big difference, too. Established activities as part of the Tackling Aggression and Violence programme should not be forgotten in all this. They include the “Go Out Safely” campaign and operations to discourage the carrying of weapons. Finally, victim support is an important element in improving actual and perceived safety.

Implementation
It is vitally important that all those involved in safety and security policy, including external partners, come together to achieve an integrated approach to the problem groups and areas. The success of the Amsterdam Security Plan depends upon it.

More Information
For more information, please contact the following City organisation:
A Safe Amsterdam
PO Box 202
1000 AE Amsterdam
The Netherlands
info@eenveiligamsterdam.nl