In light of several burglaries committed in Albert Lea in the past month, the Albert Lea Police Department is reminding residents that simple changes in natural environments can be used to protect themselves against criminal activity.

The Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design program was instituted in Albert Lea in approximately 2008, according to Police Department Officer Jason Taylor.

The Police Department hosted community meetings early on in the initiative, where officers encouraged people to make changes to their property based on the design philosophy.

A nationwide program, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design was developed based on the premise that effective use of an area’s built environment and basic design can reduce crime and increase quality of life.

There are three components, according to Taylor:

• Natural surveillance: making sure people have unobstructed views and good lighting

• Natural access control: making sure entrances are visible and secondary entrances are well controlled.

• Territorial reinforcement: anything that would show ownership of space, including a picket fence.

The approach used at its best combines an area’s design, landscaping and art with effective use of lock and alarm systems to ensure safety.

The department assists citizens with protecting themselves by conducting security surveys of residential and commercial properties and identifying parts the property owner can improve on.

Taylor suggested improvements such as placing rosebushes over low-hanging windows or river rock near a building instead of wood chips to heighten sound in the event of a possible robbery and increasing sight lines by trimming trees and bushes

“Often, it’s very small changes that have very big results,” Taylor said.

Since the program’s inception, Taylor said he’s noticed the downtown landscape fits into the philosophy, including its multiple mixed-use buildings that increase natural surveillance and steps taken to ensure pedestrian safety.

Taylor advised anyone with questions or concerns of the security of their property to call 377-5200, extension 5.