A wild problem:
Burglary and insecurity
There are significantly more burglaries in Denmark per capita than in our neighboring countries, despite the fact that the number of burglaries in Denmark has been decreasing since 2011. For a long time in Denmark, we have had a tacit consensus that fighting burglary is the job of the police, and that burglary is an evil we have to put up with. For decades, measures have been implemented to combat burglary - such as tougher penalties. But all too often these efforts have been too narrow-minded and short-sighted. Typically, an isolated aspect of the problem has been identified and targeted using well-known tools. The effect has failed to materialize. Probably because the burglary problem is entangled with a number of other problems.
In 2017, the "Live safely!" initiative was launched was launched by TrygFonden and Foreningen Realdania in collaboration with Bolius Knowledge Center and the Crime Prevention Council. The ambition is to get rid of the burglary problem.
A Gordian knot:
Where should we start?
Initially, the program struggled with where to take action. Should we change Danish building traditions, tackle drug abuse, change consumer behavior and influence police reforms, local planning and border policy to get to the root of the problem?
The Bo Trygt initiative initially approached the burglary problem as a tame problem. The focus was on increased burglary protection in Danish homes, more neighborhood helpers and an increased detection rate. But to the surprise of those involved, there was no change in behavior. Danes simply did not want to live in a burglar-proof fortress.
Tools:
Systemic leadership
Instead, the Bo Trygt effort had to recognize that they could not leave the stage as quickly as expected. From 2019 to 2021, the parties worked to embrace systemic leadership. Systemic leadership does away with change approaches that seek quick answers, action and impact. Instead, it's about changing the conditions that perpetuate a problem. It's an approach based on patience and collective action.
After the initial learning, Bo Trygt began to support the new collaborative relationships rather than bring content into the collaboration. The first priority was to get stakeholders such as municipalities, civil society, insurance, construction and security industries to share the vision. Bo Trygt became an active backbone secretariat that facilitated a conversation about the understanding of the problem, built will and pushed the momentum.
The Bo Trygt initiative has succeeded in shifting how we view burglary as a phenomenon. Today, the perception is that burglary prevention is a collective responsibility. Through the program, a field has been created around burglary prevention where many actors work together. And these players have brought together an even larger group of players for a much broader approach that addresses everything from misuse to window smashing. The fact is that burglaries in Danish homes have decreased considerably in the last few years.
The policy contractors
The key players in the above case are TrygFonden, RealDania, Bolius Knowledge Center and the Crime Prevention Council. However, these actors have not stood alone, and the Bo Trygt initiative is still open to collaboration across relevant actors. The program has launched local partnerships between politics, municipalities and civil society, and work is underway to establish a permanent cooperation structure that can act preventively. In 2021, the program held a conference with over 200 participants from police, municipalities, civil society, the insurance industry, the construction industry, research and foundations. They have also established a platform for municipalities to learn from each other and work together, and they have entered into an agreement with Dansk Erhverv, DBA and GulOgGratis to help identify criminals on the trading platforms. You can visit Bo Trygt here.