Building Safe Communities

By Cst. Roy Moe

Those working with communities in traditional, proactive policing models are seeing a strong trend taking place.  Communities are recognizing that they need to focus on the broader issue of “neighbourhood safety,” rather than only on “crime prevention.”

Neighbourhood safety is one of the most important components of a strong sense of community, and it results from caring adults who participate in the “informal social control” that characterizes their communities. 

We all know areas of the city where we sense safety, and other areas where we do not.  But we have to recognize that community safety is not imposed because a police patrol car drives past your home.  Instead, it begins with the willingness of the average person to get involved in contributing to the public good, whether formally or informally.

The power of these informal contributions to nurture and support strong community institutions and sound family values in young people should not be underestimated.  The theme of this approach is a concept known as “developmental assets.” 

Developmental assets are positive factors within young people, families, schools and other settings that have been found to be important in promoting the healthy development of youth.  They cover such areas as support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, commitment to learning, social competencies, and a sense of self-worth.

Research conducted by the Search Institute shows that the more developmental assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in many high-risk behaviours.  And of course, the fewer the assets, the greater the likelihood of high-risk behaviours.

The key for us as communities and individuals is to build these assets up as much as possible.  Asset building is NOT a program, but a return to the notion that “it takes a village to raise a child.”  We can all be involved in teaching and modelling values such as honesty, respect, tolerance, enthusiasm and industry.  We just need to be more aware of these building blocks of life, protecting them from the destructive forces and behaviours that deplete their potential.

Silver Springs provides a great example of how Developmental Assets can be embraced by communities.  The traditional Block Watch Council in this northwest neighbourhood—which had focused on crime prevention for the last twenty-five years— has now transformed into a strong advocate for this community development initiative.  The focus on youth has changed from a deficit-based model, which focused on negatives, to a strength-based approach that focuses on positives and on pro-active action. 

To spread this message to all residents in Silver Springs, a bi-monthly communication plan distributes the Developmental Asset message, aiming at transforming the whole community in time.  This new approach has sparked enough interest that one parent has begun writing articles for the local school newsletter, reinforcing the same message.

A shining example of how this approach can create change in a community came to light recently, when one of the elderly gentlemen who had sat quietly at meetings in Silver Springs during this transition spoke up.  He described a family with young children living on his block whom   he had never bothered to get to know, and admitted that he would previously not have made the attempt, either.  While working in his front yard one day, and remembering the Developmental Asset message (that responsible adults embrace youth), he made the effort to introduce himself to a young child from this family who was learning to ride his bike with father in tow.  Since this initial contact, a strong multi-generational friendship has developed, which contributed significantly to this family’s sense of community.  The elderly gentleman was bursting with pride at describing this simple but important story.

That’s how easy it is to make a difference in a community using this approach.  For more information about developmental assets, visit www.search-institute.org.


Cst. Roy Moe
Community Liaison Officer
District 7
Calgary Police Service

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