Safety

Goal Four: Edmonton is a safe city

Edmontonians view their personal and collective safety as fundamental to the livability of their city.

They appreciate safety is multi-faceted. It begins with the basic public health elements of safe drinking water, waste management and disease control and culminates with Edmontonians confidently living their lives, free from fear.

Residents expect people services that assure their public health and look to their municipal government to enforce bylaws and legislation that contribute to safe communities.

Safety extends to well maintained, accessible streets, sidewalks and public buildings and the maintenance of physical order. Edmontonians want their municipal government to work with them to provide infrastructure, emergency services and leadership in proactive urban and transportation design that adds to public safety and to the livability of their city.

Edmontonians understand that safety and prevention are entwined. They take responsibility for social order and crime prevention. They appreciate and support public education to raise awareness of individual and community contribution to safety.

Connected communities are safer communities. Edmontonians value connected communities and places where neighbours know each other which build a sense of belonging and trust. Edmontonians look to their local government and to each other to build bonds within neighbourhoods to contribute to safer communities.

Edmontonians want timely emergency response for fire, police, disaster and crisis. It is the presence of this emergency response infrastructure that adds to a sense of daily safety and confidence that Edmonton is a safe city.

4.1 Edmontonians enjoy safety and security of person, place and community.

Strategic Policy Directions

The City of Edmonton:

• Enforces City by-laws and complies with provincial and federal legislation for the safety and security of people and property.
• Creates, applies and enforces the conditions for a safe and secure environment in which to live, work, learn and play.
• Designs, operates and maintains a safe transportation network.
• Designs and builds its infrastructure using Crime Prevention¹ through Environmental Design principles.
• Provides services in a planned and continually upgraded manner to educate Edmontonians and respond to public safety.
• Provides community and family support services to prevent crime.
• Provides a visible, proactive policing model.
• Promotes a coordinated approach with a variety of partners at the city and regional level for crime prevention.
• Advocates for best practice in safety standards.

4.2 The City of Edmonton and its citizens share responsibility for social order and crime prevention.

Strategic Policy Directions

The City of Edmonton:

• Provides public education to raise Edmontonians’ awareness of their contribution to personal, community and neighbourhood safety.
• Partners with Edmontonians to ensure their safety at public events.
• Partners with Edmontonians to foster and maintain social order².
• Partners with Edmontonians to keep Edmonton clean and attractive.
• Engages Edmontonians in developing citizen-oriented public safety programs.

4.3 The City of Edmonton protects the public health of Edmontonians.

Strategic Policy Directions

The City of Edmonton:

• Delivers basic public health services in the areas of: water quality, waste management, storm and sanitary drainage, housing standards, fire rescue, noise pollution and disposal of human and animal remains.
• Partners with provincial health services to educate Edmontonians in recognizing and preventing public health risks.
• Partners with regional municipalities to protect the basic public health needs of Edmontonians and Capital Region residents.
• Advocates for best practice in public health standards.
• Advocates for and develops public health policy and programs.

4.4 The City of Edmonton provides timely emergency response for fire, police, disaster and crisis supports.

Strategic Policy Directions

The City of Edmonton:

• Plans and provides for a coordinated response to natural disasters and civil disturbances.
• Provides information to Edmontonians about crisis supports and how to access them.
• Provides and coordinates emergency access to meet or exceed standards for timely emergency response.
• Provides emergency dispatch to meet or exceed industry standards.

Glossary

1. Crime Prevention

• Any initiative or policy which reduces, avoids or eliminates victimization by crime or violence. It includes government and non-government initiatives to reduce fear of crime as well as lessen the impact of crime on victims. (Institute for the Prevention of Crime)

2. Social Order

• A set of linked social structures, social institutions and social practices which conserve, maintain and enforce "normal" ways of relating and behaving. (Dictionary of Sociology)