International Crime Free Association

The Crime Free Multihousing Program is a state-of-the-art crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gang activity on apartment properties. This program was first successfully developed at the Mesa, Arizona Police Department in 1992.

The International Crime Free Programs have since spread to nearly 2,000 cities in 44 US states, 5 Canadian Provinces, Mexico, England, Finland, Japan, Russia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Puerto Rico. Australia has also expressed interest in adopting the Crime Free Programs in the future. The association holds an annual training conference.

Crime Free Multihousing Progam  – Three Phases

The program consists of three phases that must be completed under the supervision of the local law enforcement agency.

• Property managers become individually certified after completing phase-one training.
• The physical property conditions become certified upon successful completion of phase-two a police CPTED survey.
• After a resident safety social all three phases are complete and the apartment property can be fully certified in the Crime Free Multihousing program.

The anticipated benefits are reduced police calls for service, a more stable resident base, and reduced exposure to civil liability.

The program begins with the training of police agency coordinators who will administer the program in their jurisdiction. Each Crime Free Multihousing Program Coordinator receives 24-hours of intensive training and becomes certified as an instructor of the program.

The Crime Free Multihousing Program Coordinators return to their cities and begin the provide training and certify apartment managers and properties in their community.

Fully certified properties have reported reductions in police calls for service up to 70% over previous years. The heart and soul of the program are in the correct implementation and use of the Crime Free Lease Addendum.

Crime Free Multihousing Program: Training Outline

Phase I – Property Manager Training (8-Hours) Taught by the Police

• Crime Prevention Theory
• CPTED Theory
• New Resident Screening
• Lease Agreement Issues
• Crime Free Lease Addendum
• Key Control and Master Key Use
• On-Going Security Management
• Monitoring Criminal Activity
• Gangs, Drugs, and Crime Prevention
• Legal Warnings & Evictions
• Working With the Police
• Community Awareness

Phase II – CPTED – Survey by the Police

• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Survey (CPTED)
• Minimum door, window, and lock standards compliance
• Minimum exterior lighting standards evaluation
• Key Control procedures evaluation
• Landscape maintenance standards compliance

Phase III – Community Awareness Training

• Annual crime prevention social taught by property management and police
• Community awareness and continuous participation is encouraged

Crime Free Multihousing Program: Full Certification

Full certification permits the apartment property the right to post the Crime Free Multihousing program sign and advertise membership in the Crime Free Multihousing Program in the print media using the official logo.

• Listen to the Crime School Podcast