Anti-crime videos run away with gold

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Anti-crime videos funded by Criminal Property Confiscation Grants Program win gold.
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Beat Burglar Bill, Quick Grab Quin, Social Sally Gets Silly…

These are some of the catchy titles of a series of six award-winning videos developed by the City of Melville using funding from the Department of Justice's Criminal Property Confiscation Grants Program.

The Safer Melville videos – featuring Lego characters – raise awareness of safety themes identified in the City's 2017 – 2021 Safer Melville Plan. The sixth video was launched in October last year in celebration of Safer Melville Month.

Bill, Quin, Sally and other characters in the videos – Storm Safe Steve, Unprepared Pete, Tagger Tim and Eyes and Ears Erin – have not only drawn an appreciative audience in Melville and beyond, they won a gold medal at the 2018 International Safety Media Awards.

The awards recognise high quality media from around the world and received 400 applications from 42 countries.

The videos' messages are about making it tougher for criminals to break into your house or car, staying under 0.05, preparing for emergencies, reporting and preventing graffiti, and being aware of community safety services.

As well as creating the videos, the City used the grant funding on an after-school program designed to engage at-risk young people in positive behaviours.

The Criminal Property Confiscation Grants Program draws on the proceeds of crime (money and other assets such as property) and re-directs the proceeds into positive initiatives. Local governments and non-profit community groups around WA can apply for up to $200,000 to fund projects which prevent or reduce drug-related crime and drug abuse, support crime victims or aid law enforcement.

Grant Senior Project Officer Nora Chan-Furness said the City of Melville had invested their funding wisely.

"On the one hand they have created a targeted program for young people in Willagee aged 10 – 17 helping to build their sense of community and cultural connection and developing their self-esteem and resilience – and on the other a video series that has boosted safety awareness locally and found acclaim on the world stage," Nora said.

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