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Police could play bigger role in permit process
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Related Topics: Prince George’s County
Prince George’s County (Map, News) - The Prince George’s County Police Department should play a “more active role” in reviewing site plans and building permit applications for public safety problems, according to a recent report by the county’s planning department.
“The police department really doesn’t have a role in either the permitting or the site review because there is no legislation that would authorize them … to do it,” said Chris Izzo, project manager for the preliminary Public Safety Facilities Master Plan.
According to Izzo, the planning department would like the police department to use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles to make its evaluations.
The report says CPTED is a “crime prevention philosophy based on actively designing the built environment to reduce crime and the perception of crime while enhancing the quality of a place to invite safe interaction.”
But Izzo believes CPTED would have to become law in Prince George’s for the police department to play the role recommended by the planning department.
Earlier this year, the county formed a CPTED committee including representatives from the police department, fire department, Department of Environmental Resources, Department of Housing and Community Development, the planning department and others.
“Our goal is to bring those CPTED principles here and to demonstrate their success and, once we demonstrate their success, hopefully spread those principles,” said police Maj. Henry P. Stawinski III, who chairs the committee.
Stawinski said the committee already is providing input in some projects and could offer CPTED legislation in the future.
“All options are on the table,” he said, but added that the County Council tabled CPTED legislation last year.
Stawinski declined to comment on the planning department’s recommendation that police play more of a role in reviewing site plans and building permit applications.
However, Percy Alston, president of the police union, was apprehensive about the idea.
“I’m concerned. Are we talking about creating a whole other unit now that has to do this?” Alston asked. “I don’t necessarily know if that should be one of the tasks of the police department.”
dfowler@dcexaminer.com
