Community Safety

 Local councils have a critical role in crime prevention. They acquire considerable understanding of local crime and safety issues, through ongoing engagement with the public and key stakeholders. This knowledge and the relationship with service providers allow Councils to actively work on strategies to improve community safety.

Burwood Council is committed to ensuring our City is a safe community and has taken an active role in community safety and crime prevention developing projects, initiatives and education resources that will help with local crime issues and foster safer communities for those living, working and visiting the area.

 Personal Safety Audit Practical Checklist

• Do you walk in well-lit areas with other people when travelling home at night?
• When travelling alone, do you have a mobile phone on you with emergency numbers in it?
• Do you let someone know what time you will be home, before leaving the house?
• Do you carry your bag infront of you, close to your body and locked securely?
• Are you careful not to carry lots of valuables on you that can be easily taken?
• At night, are you careful not to walk around wearing headphones, or talking on your phone?

If you have answered 'NO' to any of the above questions, it may be time to review your security!

Your Home Safety Audit Practical Checklist

• Is your house number clearly visible from the street?
• Is your front entry clearly visible from the street?
• Are your doors and windows fitted with quality deadlocks?
• Does your front door have a peephole (viewer)?
• Do your outdoor lights have motion sensors or are they fitted with a timer?
• Are lights left on when you go out at night?
• Is there adequate lighting at your main entry/exits?
• Is there a telephone extension in the main bedroom?
• Are emergency numbers programmed into your telephone's speed dial?
• Do you have an Alarm? If so, is it always used and serviced regularly?
• Is your garage, shed and side access gates securely locked?

If you have answered 'NO' to any of the above questions, it may be time to review your security!

Every year, scams cost Australians, businesses and the economy hundreds of millions of dollars and cause emotional harm to victims and their families.

Everyone is vulnerable to scams so everyone needs information about how to identify and avoid being scammed.

Some people think that only the gullible and greedy fall victim to scams. The truth is scammers are clever and if you don’t know what to look out for, anyone can fall victim to a scam.

Have you received an offer that seems too good to be true, perhaps a phone call to help fix your computer or a threat to pay money you do not owe, an alert from your bank or telecommunications provider about a problem with your account or even an invitation to ‘befriend’ or connect online? Scammers know how to press your buttons to get what they want.

They are getting smarter, moving with the times to take advantage of new technology, new products or services and major events to create believable stories that will convince you to part with your money or personal details.

However, thanks to the tens of thousands of scam reports received every year, the ACCC has prepared a list of common scams to reveal the secrets and tactics that scammers don’t want you to know.

The best way to protect yourself is through awareness and education. The new edition of The Little Black Book of Scams is brought to you by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the national consumer protection agency.

The Little Black Book of Scams is recognised internationally as an important tool for consumers and small businesses to learn about scams including:

• the most common scams to watch out for
• the different ways scammers can contact you
• the tools scammers use to trick you
• the warning signs
• how to protect yourself, and
• where you can find help.

The Little Black Book of Scams is available online

Accidents and emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time, occurring with little warning and with the capacity to have a significant impact on households and people's lives.

Being prepared wiII help you to better deal with an emergency and minimise the impact on yourself and on your household. This plan works best when all members of the household complete the Household Safety Booklet(PDF, 4MB) together. Keep the Household Safety Booklet on  hand to use In the event of any emergency.

Emergency Procedures

• Where are your household emergency exits? The occupant of every bedroom should know a planned escape route plus a back-up route if that is blocked.
• Whose role is it to assist vulnerable household members who would need assistance?
• Where is your nearby emergency assembly point?
• Which is the strongest room in your house should you need to shelter?
• How do you turn off your household electricity supply?
• How do you shut down your household solar electricity system?
• Where is your main gas tap?
• Where is your main water tap?

In the event of an emergency evacuation take:

• House & Car Keys
• Any Cash & Credit Cards
• Critical Identity Documents
• Important Financial
• Documents Any Pets

Download the free Get Prepared app to prepare for an emergency

Do one simple thing to prepare for an emergency. Download Get Prepared*, co-created by Australian Red Cross and general insurer IAG, to keep your emergency plan close to hand.

Burwood Council encourages you to prepare and stay safe in a disaster or a time of crisis by downloading and completing an emergency plan on the Get Prepared app.

The app helps you connect with your key support people, accomplish simple tasks to make you and your loved ones safer, and protect the things that matter most to you.

Get Prepared app is a free and easy to use, one-stop tool to help you prepare for any type of emergency. You can:

• establish a quick and easy network of support with your three key contacts
• review the risks relevant to where you live
• create checklists of actions to make an emergency plan
• save the emergency plan as a PDF to be printed and shared with others.

Burwood Council is supporting our residents to become more resilient to disasters. As a participating Council in the Resilient Sydney program, we are collaborating with the Councils of Sydney to create a metropolis that is connected, inclusive and resilient.

 Burwood Council works with local business owners to assist in creating a safe work environment through the promotion of crime prevention. When a safe work environment is promoted anecdotal evidence suggests that worker productivity is higher, production is better and insurance premiums are lower. By adhering to the following general business safety tips, you can take the first important steps in business crime prevention:

 
Preventing Robbery

How your business handles cash is vital in promoting a safe work environment for staff and customers:

• Clear excess cash frequently and randomly from cash registers, change your cash handling procedures frequently e.g. times
• Don’t count cash in public view, always do securely behind closed doors
• Leave your cash register open and empty after closing, this shows people there is no money on premises after closing
• The customer service area should be visible from the street, promoting natural surveillance
• When depositing money at the bank, don’t carry money in a marked bag

Alarms and locks are important in securing the building and creating safe spaces

• Fit electronic sensors that emit a sound when someone leaves or enters the premises
• Use high quality deadlocks, safes and alarm systems
• Place panic alarms near the cash register and store room where they can be activated safely

Windows and doors are important entry and exit points which need to be made secure by:

• Lighting the inside and outside of the premises, especially around windows and doors to highlight use
• Window displays and store fittings in businesses should not obstruct the inside of the store from outside view
• Make sure staff only areas are clearly marked “STAFF ONLY” with doors that are locked and can be only accessed by staff e.g. pin pad

Store design and lighting should be considered when designing your store to maximise crime prevention by:

Limiting the height of shelves or displays, in order to create clear lines of sight for staff to view the premises at all times

• Evaluate the layout of your store, making sure that all blind spots are removed
• Identify possible hiding spots and install movement detectors and lighting, ensuring that movement is highlighted

Community Safety Audits endeavour to address anti-social and criminal behaviour in the community.

Council regularly conducts Community Safety Audits in the Burwood LGA, the audits provide an opportunity for Council Officers, the Police Area Command and community to regularly assess a site in question for potential safety hazards and areas likely to stimulate fear and criminal opportunity. The audit will generally recommend ways to improve the built environment to prevent future crime, a process referred to as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) to improve public safety and amenity.

Recommendations may include trimming trees so that streets are better lit at night, installing signage to prevent loitering or illegal parking, installing additional lighting to improve the ambience and sense of security, or arranging for additional Police patrols at the location.

Remember, in an emergency or if you or anyone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.

For more information, or to report a concern about safety or crime in our community, contact Council's Customer Service Centre on 9911 9911.

Council regularly conducts Safety Workshops for various community groups in a variety of community languages.

Contact Council's Youth and Community Safety Officer on 9911 9911 for more information.

About the Burwood LGA

Crime statistics reveal that certain areas within the Burwood LGA experience higher rates of crime than others with the majority of reported offences occurring in outdoor/public spaces.

Burwood CCTV system as part of the City Safe Program has been installed in identified crime hotspot areas to help assist NSW Police in detecting, preventing and prosecuting those who commit serious offences.

Camera Locations

Information obtained from extensive consultation with Burwood Police has indicted that peak times for robberies to occur are late at night or in the early hours of the morning, with crime ‘hotspot’ areas identified as Burwood Park and surrounding areas, Burwood Station and Burwood Road. Using these crime 'hotspots' as a guide, Burwood Council has worked closely with Police to determine appropriate locations for the cameras.

Cameras are only placed in locations where public domain areas can be viewed.

Privacy and Protection

City Safe Program views privacy and protection of residents, businesses and visitors to Burwood very seriously and ensures that cameras are only operated under a stringent set of guidelines, policies and procedures. Please see Burwood Council Policies section for more details.

Only authorised officers are allowed to view recorded material and are bounded by a strict code of practice/conduct. Operating procedures are audited bi-annually in order to maintain high security control measures.

As a result of the City Safe Program City Safe Officers have regular communications with the Burwood Police Area Command to work collaboratively in achieving effective crime prevention initiatives.

Council is committed to working with the community to continue to drive down crime and achieve a safer Local Government Area for residents.

The CCTV Register is an initiative of the NSW Police Force. The database has been established to record the location of closed circuit television (CCTV) camera systems, and other related information, across the state.

CCTV footage has become an important investigative tool for police. It is regularly used to investigate and solve crimes. The problem to date has been knowing where these cameras are located. The objective of the NSW Force is to establish an accurate and comprehensive register that identifies the location of as many CCTV systems across that state.

This CCTV Register will assist NSW Police in gathering evidence when a crime is committed in your area. Police will use the Register information to contact your business and request footage that may be vital to solving crime.

You can register by going on Online via the NSW Police Force website

Having access to accurate information is critical to any police investigation and with your help we can reduce crime and have a safer community.

Burwood Council Enforcement Officers wear body cameras in their day to day duties. These cameras are worn in order to ensure an accurate representation of any incidents as well as for the protection of staff.

This means that you may be recorded if you interact with these staff. Recordings are used for incident verification purposes as well as for staff professional development.

Responding to requests from residents and Police, Burwood Council has established Alcohol Prohibited Areas (APA) in Burwood Park, Woodstock Park, Russell Street Reserve, Reed Reserve and Martin Reserve.

Council has looked at options available for dealing with behavioural changes associated with the excessive consumption of alcohol; these changes can lead to vandalism and violence.

Alcohol Prohibited Areas aim to reduce alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour in identified locations in order to help create a safer environment for the Burwood community.

It is an offence to drink alcohol in any park or reserve where an Alcohol Prohibited Area exists within the designated time frame of 6pm- 8am, seven days a week.

Alcohol Prohibited Areas only apply to parks and reserves where indicated by signage. Alcohol Prohibited Areas do not apply to streets or footpaths.

Alcohol Prohibited Areas are enforceable by NSW Police. Contact Burwood police station to report any breaches on 02 9745 8499

Prohibition of Alcohol in Public Spaces 

What is the Accord?

An accord is a written agreement between individuals and organisations to support each other of work together on an issue of shared concern.

The Accord is a voluntary and pro-active that works with legislation relating to responsible service of alcohol created to support licensed premises without the need to resort to regulation and enforcement in creating a safer community.

The Burwood/Canada Bay Liquor Accord is an agreement between local licensees, Police, Council, Department of Health, NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming & Racing and other community stakeholders to help prevent and reduce alcohol related harm within Burwood and Canada Bay communities.

Why does Council support the Liquor Accord?

Burwood LGA is home to approximately 40,000 people. With a combination of retail and commercial premises, and mass numbers of commuters passing through the Burwood CBD daily, Burwood is a major transport hub.

Burwood Council has a commitment to working in conjunction with local partners to prevent crime and foster a safer within the community. Burwood Council has an ongoing commitment, together with neighbouring Council Canada Bay, to reduce alcohol related harm and anti-social behaviour.

The Accord is an effective tool in strengthening partnerships between licensees, Police, Department of Health, NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming & Racing & local and state government to enhance perceptions of community safety and aid licensing enforcement.