The “Safe Neighbourhood” project

The project is implemented across Warsaw’s large urban districts.

Improve the sense of security among district residents by fostering shared responsibility between municipal staff and the community.

Encourage and facilitate active cooperation between neighbourhood groups, municipal services (such as police, municipal guard, fire service), and local institutions to address safety issues.

Promote safe behaviour and spread knowledge on crime prevention and personal safety among all residents.

Provide targeted educational activities and information campaigns for vulnerable groups, including seniors, children, and youth.

Counteract crime and misdemeanours by supporting early identification and elimination of risk factors and dangerous situations in the local environment.

Enable the sharing of experiences and best practices in prevention and response to threats among different districts and neighbourhood groups.

Support community-led initiatives aimed at removing circumstances conducive to dangerous or undesirable events, including environmental and infrastructure improvements.

Ensure that dangerous places or phenomena are promptly reported to competent services for appropriate intervention and follow-up.

Adapt engagement and communication methods to changing social realities, such as flexible working hours, hybrid work, and the increasing importance of digital tools. In practice, these changes primarily refer to the widespread shift to hybrid and irregular working hours among residents, which significantly reduces their availability for daytime meetings. This required the project to adjust meeting schedules and diversify communication channels to maintain participation.

Regularly analyse risks and evaluate project outcomes to ensure continuous improvement and relevance to residents’ needs.

The “Safe Neighbourhood” project is a long-term, city-wide initiative implemented in Warsaw, evolving from a pilot in 2003 to its present format since 2023. Its core aim is to enhance public safety and the sense of security among residents by fostering active cooperation between municipal services, local institutions, and the community. Neighbourhood groups, established on a voluntary basis in each district, bring together representatives of the City Security Centre, police, municipal guard, residents, and other interested parties. These groups meet regularly to identify and address local safety issues, ranging from minor nuisances to serious crimes, and to propose preventive solutions. The project places special emphasis on building a sense of shared responsibility and community, as well as raising awareness of the support available from municipal services. Activities include educational campaigns for seniors, children, and youth, first aid training, and information sessions, often in collaboration with schools and social organisations. The project remains responsive to residents’ needs by maintaining open communication channels and adjusting meeting arrangements as necessary. The participatory approach ensures that all stakeholders have real influence on decisions and the shaping of safe urban spaces.

• Citizens and residents of Warsaw districts
• Local leaders (e.g., members of estate councils, housing associations)
• Police (including district officers)
• Municipal Guard (district inspectors)
• Fire Service
• District offices of the City of Warsaw
• Schools and educational institutions
• Social welfare institutions
• Community associations and non-governmental organisations
• Monitoring System Service Facility
• Other interested local actors

The “Safe Neighbourhood” project was initiated in response to evolving social needs and urban realities in Warsaw. The initial motivation stemmed from a growing recognition, dating back to the early 2000s, that public safety could not be effectively addressed solely through top-down interventions by municipal services. Instead, it required active, ongoing cooperation between city institutions and local communities. As the city’s structure changed—with more diverse housing, increased mobility, and new patterns of work and life—there was a need to broaden the definition of safety and to involve residents directly in identifying and resolving local issues. The project’s core rationale is to foster a sense of shared responsibility for public safety, strengthen community bonds, and ensure that residents feel empowered to shape their environment.

Key Participatory Methods:

Voluntary Neighbourhood Groups: Residents, local leaders, police officers, municipal guards, and representatives of housing associations and other interested parties form neighbourhood groups on a voluntary basis. These groups meet regularly to discuss safety concerns, propose solutions, and prioritise actions.

Consultation and Co-decision: All stakeholders have real influence over decisions, from the placement of surveillance cameras to the planning of educational initiatives.

Surveys and Feedback Tools: Surveys are used to gather anonymous feedback, suggestions, and reports of safety issues from residents.

Workshops and Targeted Campaigns: Educational workshops, first aid training, and information campaigns are tailored to the needs of vulnerable groups (seniors, children, youth), often in collaboration with schools and social welfare organisations.

Adaptability and Inclusion:

The methodology is highly adaptive, responding to changes in urban structure, working patterns, and resident engagement. The project emphasises direct, face-to-face contact for trust-building, while also leveraging digital tools for broader inclusion—especially important for reaching younger or more digitally connected residents.

Behavioural Innovation – The project has brought about a change in how residents and officials perceive their roles in local safety. There is a clear emphasis on building shared responsibility and encouraging active engagement from all sides.

Social Practice Innovation – The project introduced regular, structured meetings of neighbourhood groups, which include not only residents but also representatives of police, municipal guard, fire service, schools, and local organisations.

Organisational Innovation – Over the years, the project has evolved in its structure, scope, and the range of partners involved. A clear example of this evolution was the transition from a small, estate focused programme (‘Safe Estate’) to a district wide initiative (‘Safe Neighbourhood’), accompanied by the inclusion of new partners such as district offices, fire services, monitoring units, and educational institutions, which significantly broadened the project’s operational capacity.

Process Innovations – The project introduced flexible procedures such as afternoon duty hours and meetings to accommodate residents’ schedules, multi-channel reporting (including the city contact centre 19-115, phone, and written submissions), and regular monitoring of reported issues in cooperation with other services. Additionally, a process was established to fund extra police patrols (“służby ponadnormatywne”) in locations directly identified by residents during neighbourhood meetings.

Online and Paper Surveys: The project prepared surveys for residents, which could be filled out both during meetings (in paper form) and accessed online. This allowed residents to provide anonymous feedback, report issues, and share their opinions about cooperation with the police and municipal guard.

Use of City Website: The survey was also made available on the city’s website, although the transcript notes that few people used this digital option.

Monitoring System (CCTV): The project involves cooperation with the Monitoring System Service Facility (Zakład Obsługi Systemu Monitoringu) for the installation and management of city surveillance cameras. Decisions about camera placement are made in consultation with various stakeholders, and technical support is provided by this unit.

Improved Sense of Security – The main and consistently emphasised outcome is the improvement of the sense of security among Warsaw district residents. This is achieved through regular engagement, direct contact, and the opportunity for residents to influence safety-related decisions.

Strengthened Shared Responsibility and Community Engagement – The project has built a culture of shared responsibility for safety between municipal services and the community, resulting in greater engagement and a sense of agency among residents.

Effective Identification and Addressing of Local Safety Issues – Neighbourhood groups and regular meetings have enabled the identification and resolution of a broad range of safety issues, from minor nuisances to serious crimes.

Targeted Support for Vulnerable Groups – The project responds to the needs of seniors, children, and youth with targeted educational campaigns, information sessions, and first aid training.

Increased Trust and Cooperation with Municipal Services – Residents and local stakeholders have real influence over decisions, which has built trust and improved cooperation with police, municipal guard, and other city services.

Adaptation to Changing Social Realities – The project has adapted to new urban patterns, flexible working hours, and the need for more inclusive participation formats. One concrete example of this adaptation is the introduction of flexible late afternoon meeting hours, implemented in response to residents’ limited availability caused by new working patterns.

The importance of building shared responsibility and engagement – The project coordinators repeatedly emphasise that a key lesson is the need to foster a sense of shared responsibility for safety among both municipal staff and residents.

Participation and real influence increase effectiveness and trust – The project shows that when residents and local stakeholders have a real say in decisions (such as camera placement or identifying local problems), trust and willingness to participate increase.

Regular, structured cooperation enables effective problem-solving – Regular meetings and structured cooperation between municipal services, local institutions, and residents allow for the effective identification and resolution of a wide range of safety issues, from minor nuisances to serious crimes.

Targeted activities for vulnerable groups are necessary – The project highlights the need to tailor educational and preventive activities to specific vulnerable groups, such as seniors, children, and youth. These efforts help raise awareness and reduce risks (e.g., scams against seniors, traffic safety for children).

Social changes require adaptation of methods – The project team notes that changes in urban structure, working hours, and technology require ongoing adaptation of engagement and communication methods.

Challenges in reaching broader groups and sustaining engagement – It is observed that often the same people participate in meetings and fill out surveys, which may limit the representativeness of feedback. There are also challenges in reaching people who do not use digital tools or who are less engaged.

Continuous evaluation and adaptation are necessary – The project is regularly reviewed and adapted, including annual reporting and risk analysis, to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

The “Safe Neighbourhood” project, while effective in improving community safety and engagement, faces several notable limitations. One of the main challenges is that some issues reported by residents exceed the project’s direct competence and require cooperation with external institutions, which can delay or complicate the resolution process. Participation in neighbourhood meetings is often limited by residents’ working hours and personal schedules, as many people now work flexible or hybrid hours, making it difficult to organise meetings at times convenient for everyone. Additionally, while digital tools such as online surveys and virtual meetings have been introduced, their reach remains limited, especially among senior citizens who may not use or have access to online resources. The project also experienced a significant drop in community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and rebuilding active participation has required considerable effort. Another limitation is the reliance on a relatively small group of regularly engaged residents, which may result in a lack of broader representation of the community’s needs and perspectives. Finally, the project’s effectiveness depends on the ongoing commitment and capacity of local leaders and municipal staff, which can be affected by staff turnover or resource constraints.

The “Safe Neighbourhood” project is an ongoing, integral part of Warsaw’s public safety strategy and is implemented as a permanent municipal programme, not as a temporary or research-based initiative. Its sustainability is ensured through stable, regular funding from the city’s budget, which covers both educational and operational activities. The project’s organisational structure—based on the Department of Public Safety at the Warsaw City Security Centre and its district delegations—provides continuous coordination, risk assessment, and annual reporting, ensuring long-term oversight and adaptability.

The project is regularly reviewed and adapted to meet emerging challenges and the evolving needs of residents. This includes updating the scope of activities, broadening the range of partners, and introducing new initiatives, such as first aid training in response to recent community needs. The participatory approach, involving regular neighbourhood group meetings and cooperation with local stakeholders, helps maintain resident engagement and ensures that the solutions developed remain relevant and effective.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the project demonstrated resilience by rebuilding community participation and adapting engagement methods to include hybrid and digital formats. The involvement of district offices, municipal services, and local leaders ensures that the project is embedded in the everyday functioning of city districts, making its results and benefits sustainable over time. The project continues to evolve, with a focus on continuous improvement, risk analysis, and the inclusion of new safety challenges as they arise.