Park safety in Berlin

Capturing interest with a European park statue - Photo Petra Warman

I met Petra Warman from the Berlin Police at the International CPTED Association conference year before last. She is a talented CPTED specialist and police officer who heads up CPTED initiatives in her city. This is an excerpt from Petra’s article in the forthcoming issue of CPTED PERSPECTIVE the ICA newsletter.

"One of the most fascinating aspects about Berlin is the inner city parks, which range from 970 square feet to over 700 acres. Obviously public space and parkland in Berlin has a major role in the participation of social life.

Well-used public parks and recreation areas are key to ensuring they are successful. This depends firstly on the whether the intended user group adopts the offered layout. It also depends on the proper use of surveillance and safety including natural access control, natural surveillance and territorial reinforcement.

Berliners want to be part of the design of their environment. They demand participation and are also prepared to give us a hand when it comes to the work. In all this work, accessibility is the key word.

Berlins’ parks are not fenced and therefore open to everybody all the time. This demands a strong identification of the space. Resident’s identification with their public parks is the ideal way to encourage their participation. Their engagement makes it possible to keep it that way."

Pocket park in Berlin. Local residents handle upkeep.