EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - The Rotterdam Approach: Action not Words

The Rotterdam Approach: Action not Words

Introduction

Rotterdam's top priority is security: the safety of the individual. With a zero tolerance approach the city government tries to improve security at the district level for the long term.

Problem

Rotterdam was known for its high crime rates. Consequently, feelings of insecurity amongst residents where relatively high as well. The current city government has been elected on the promise to turn the tide. How can security at the district level be improved for the long term and how should ‘hot spots’ (areas of high crime and nuisance) be tackled?

Description

The Rotterdam approach is designed to bring about a more result-oriented answer to the problems facing the city's residents. Rotterdam is having to cope with numerous problems of transition. Newcomers have yet to become fully integrated while the original population feels increasingly alienated in their own city. The first goal chosen for policy priorities is therefore: restore and reinforce people's ties with the city and thereby strengthen social integration. Two of the main starting-points are: a rigorous approach to personal safety and the urgent need to restore and reinforce social cohesion in the city.

Approach

The guiding principle behind the realisation of the city's security goals is the five-year action programme ‘Versterking Veiligheid’. The mayor, the chief of police, the head of the public prosecution service, and the city council's portfolio holder for Security coordinate activities, in a steering group. The drafting and implementation of district security plans is directed by individual boroughs within the city. They approve plans, which are then tested by the steering group against the urban framework. Key to the programme is a goal-oriented approach to security at the district level and a zero-tolerance strategy.

Results

In the period 2001-2004, feelings of safety and insecurity have dropped city wide.
The number of districts classified as ‘unsafe’ has dropped from 5 to 1.
Figures for safety and security showed improvement for 28 out of 34 neighbourhoods.
5% of the Rotterdam residents are feeling content with their neighbourhood.

Beneficiaries

The inhabitants of Rotterdam

Resources used

The city government has made EUR 33 million available for the programme. Furthermore, a security index establishes whether Rotterdam is going the right way in its approach to security. The concept of the 'city marine' was introduced: these high level civil servants give early warning of stumbling blocks in the collaboration, where necessary they will force a solution. Both the city marine and the security index are indispensable in the programme.

Contact info

City of Rotterdam
http://www.rotterdam.nl
Jornt van Zuylen, tel. +31 (0)10 417 3299

Project start date

31/12/2003

The Rotterdam Approach - brochure (PDF, Dut, 842 KB)

The Rotterdam Approach - safety and security in numbers (PDF, Dut, 3.6 MB)

The Rotterdam Approach - project plan (PDF, Dut, 450 KB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy

Keywords

Security & crime prevention