Adult street patrols start in Hässleholmen

Today the public property company Bostäder i Borås is starting adult street patrols in Hässleholmen. The initiative is a direct response to residents' wishes for greater safety. Every Friday, volunteers will walk around the district and build relationships with the people out and about in the area.

In autumn 2022 Bostäder i Borås carried out a survey in Hässleholmen. The response was enormous, with more than 4,100 replies. Among other things, the results pointed to a shared wish to increase safety, with a greater adult presence as a recurring suggestion.

- It is important for us to understand the needs that Hässleholmen residents have in their area, and to use that to make sure we take the right measures, says Genc Avdiu, head of area development at Bostäder i Borås. The number of replies is unique nationally and we are very grateful to everyone who answered the survey. Now we have a solid foundation to work from as we continue with safety measures in Hässleholmen.

The adult patrol is a direct response to the insights the survey replies gave. The volunteers come from local associations, from the property company's own staff and from ordinary Hässleholmen residents. The collaboration is unique of its kind, because Bostäder i Borås has chosen to involve the city's crime prevention council EST, Effektiv samordning för trygghet. With help from EST, the volunteers will also move through the so-called hotspots* in Hässleholmen.

Genc Avdiu stresses the importance of having a say and emphasises that the initiative for change must come from within the community.

- We do not just want to listen to our residents' wishes, we want to act on them. We see safety surveys as safety investments, and by introducing adult patrols we are taking a concrete step towards a safer and more united Hässleholmen.

*Hotspot refers to places where there is a heightened risk of criminal acts, or which are experienced as unsafe.