Case Study

Using accreditation to design out crime

Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, works with Police Forces around the UK, and many other organisations, to achieve sustainable reductions in crime to help people live in a safer society.

SBD trained police officers and staff in Police Forces work closely with architects, developers and local authority planners on new build developments and major refurbishments from the drawing board stage through to construction to ‘design out crime’.

They use proven crime prevention techniques in the layout and landscaping of developments, such as to increase natural surveillance, create defensible space and limit through movement. They also seek to improve the security of buildings, by recommending products like doors, windows and locks that are sufficiently robust to resist physical attack to deter burglars.

They work closely with manufacturers and companies is to encourage them to provide robust, quality products that meet the Police Preferred Specification award, which recognises that minimum standards have been met to help keep buildings secure. This standard requires certification from a UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited independent third-party certification body. This involves regular production audits and re-testing to ensure consistent quality over time.