EFUS, the European Forum for Urban Security, has published an article on the practice of Safety Houses, a unique phenomenon in the Netherlands to which the organization was introduced by CEP.

EFUS  is a European network of 250 local authorities from 17 countries.  It aims to strengthen crime reduction policies and to promote the role of local authorities in national and European policies.

EFUS  works on all major issues relating to urban safety and security, and builds up links between European local authorities by exchanging practices and information as well as through support and training. They also act as a link between local authorities on a national, European and international level.

The (hi)story of the specific  publication began on Thursday 12 September 2013, when CEP Secretary General Willem van der Brugge and CEP Liaison Officer Koen Goei paid a visit to the EFUS offices in Paris.  One of the subjects they talked about during this meeting were the “Safety Houses” in the Netherlands, concrete locations where various organizations in a region or municipality work together in order to try and reduce criminality and domestic  violence.

EFUS showed great interest in this phenomenon and CEP offered to arrange for a practice sheet on the Safety Houses in the Netherlands, and especially the one located in the Hague to be written. You can download it here.