Gangdong-gu, All-Out Effort to Establish Safety Network for Response to Indiscriminate Crimes

Emergency Meeting Led by Lee Suhee, Gangdong-gu Mayor, with Relevant Departments (Dong) Urging Full Efforts to Create a Crime Prevention 'Environment' to Ensure Daily Safety and Eliminate Crime Blind Spots

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Suhee) held an emergency meeting with related departments (dong) on the 30th of last month, chaired by the mayor, to establish meticulous and systematic measures for ensuring safety in daily life and eliminating crime blind spots.

Recently occurring indiscriminate crimes are threatening the safety of residents in their daily lives. In particular, the fact that the crimes mainly occur during daytime hours and in places closely related to daily life such as subway stations, shopping malls, and park walking trails is increasing residents' anxiety.

Creating an ‘environment’ that minimizes crime blind spots... Providing 24-hour surveillance signals

First, the district conducted a full survey of crime-vulnerable areas. In cooperation with the police station, they re-investigated previously identified incident and accident areas and high-risk zones, as well as completed surveys focusing on secluded places such as park walking trails and hiking trails where installation of crime prevention CCTVs is necessary.

Going forward, the district will analyze the survey results and increase the number of crime prevention CCTVs. To minimize blind spots within parks, CCTV facilities will be improved and additional installations made, and crime prevention CCTVs will be expanded in the second half of the year to focus on securing residents’ safety.

The ‘Gangdong-type Safe Return Home Street Design Project,’ which has been promoted since 2020, will also be expanded. The district independently developed a design manual that enhances visibility, proving highly effective in preventing alleyway crimes.

Additionally, a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) consultative body will be formed between the district and the police station to establish a rapid and efficient CPTED management system. In particular, starting next year, CPTED will be expanded and applied to Cheonho Rodeo Street and the intersection near Cheondong Elementary School.

Moreover, the district plans to strengthen crime deterrence through the advancement of the CCTV control system. The Smart Seoul Safety Network (integrated platform) will be introduced in October this year to provide real-time video information to the police, fire department, and Seoul city in case of emergencies. An intelligent selective monitoring system is also planned for establishment in 2024, which will automatically detect loitering, falls, violence, and other incidents to enable prompt response in emergencies.

Establishing a meticulous and systematic safety network utilizing human resources

Focusing on the vulnerable areas identified in the full survey, public-private-police collaboration will strengthen patrols. Daytime patrols will be centered on the dong community centers, while nighttime patrols will be led mainly by private organizations such as volunteer crime prevention squads. In cooperation with the police station, high-risk areas will be continuously identified and shared, and patrols will be intensified in secluded places such as mountainous parks and riverside walking trails.

In particular, since recent crimes have occurred on park walking trails, the district plans to focus patrols on parks. Additionally, they are considering introducing and operating ‘Park Safety Keepers’ by utilizing park clubs active during early morning hours.

Gangdong-gu Mayor Lee Soo-hee visited the Safe Return Home Street project site on the 22nd of last month.

Above all, the mayor has taken the lead in on-site patrols. In August, he inspected safety facilities on the Gangdong-type Safe Return Home Street in Seongnae 2-dong, which was completed recently, and checked for safety hazards at walking trails, parks, and the restroom at Godeoksan Mountain.

Furthermore, the district is strengthening the management system for mentally ill patients in the area. Since a significant number of suspects involved in recent weapon assaults are mentally ill, a close cooperative system will be established among related agencies such as the police, fire department, and community centers, as well as field-centered welfare personnel for rapid response in emergencies. In particular, intensive case management will be conducted to support community adaptation after discharge, along with regular counseling and social isolation prevention programs.

Lee Suhee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “Even just signaling that the area is monitored 24 hours a day has a crime deterrent effect,” and added, “We will do our utmost to eliminate crime blind spots and build a meticulous safety network.”

In addition, promotional activities using various media such as the district website and text messages are being prepared. Efforts will be made to actively promote the ‘Seoul Safety’ app, which contains various crime prevention information, so that many residents can use it. Videos related to emergency bells on crime prevention CCTVs will be produced and posted on the website, and usage guidelines for mountainous parks and forest walking trails will also be provided via text messages.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.