Secured by Design (SBD)

Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that is owned by the UK Police Service with the specific aim to reduce crime and help people live more safely.

SBD seek to improve the physical security of buildings and the surrounding area using products such as doors, windows, locks and walling systems, along with fencing systems, that meet the SBD Police Preferred Specification security requirements.

In addition, SBD work closely with builders, developers, local authorities and registered housing associations to incorporate the police crime prevention standards into developments from initial concept and design, through to construction and completion. Police forces throughout the UK have specially trained Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) who offer police designing out crime and SBD advice free of charge. Over one million homes have been built to SBD standards with reductions in crime of up to 87%.

SBD have many partner organisations, ranging from the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government through to local authorities, housing associations, developers and manufacturers and work closely with standards and certification bodies.

SBD developed a product based accreditation scheme over 20 years ago – the Police Preferred Specification, which provides a recognised standard for all security products that can deter and reduce crime. SBD work with manufacturers and standards authorities to ensure that security standards are current and updated to keep pace with emerging crime trends.

There are currently many hundreds of companies producing thousands of attack resistant crime prevention products, across over 30 different crime categories, which have achieved Police Preferred Specification.

SBD is the only way for companies to obtain police recognition for security-related products in the UK.

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