Safe City Action 2020
In 2020, Vantaa and Nordic Safe Cities will investigate how to build up an improved situational picture on safety and security in the city.
City Portrait
Vantaa is located in Southern Finland in the metropolitan area right next to the capital, Helsinki. It’s young as a city but the history of the area dates back to the 12th century. Vantaa is an international airport city in the middle of the metropolis. It is the fourth biggest city in Finland with more than 233,000 inhabitants and is fast-growing. Vantaa consists of a multi-cultural population with more than 119 native languages spoken in the city. The city consists of seven major regions, and its characteristic city centres keep on urbanising. Thanks to its location and accessibility, Vantaa is a growing business-city with more than 11,000 operating companies providing more than 100,000 jobs. The fastest-growing business area in Finland, Aviapolis, is situated right next to the Vantaa airport area. Vantaa offers its residents high-quality public services as well as extensive leisure-time options and is close to nature. For most Vantaa residents, the closest outdoor recreation area is just 300 meters away.
Safe City Challenges
Socio-economic disparities and the accumulation of disadvantages in some areas of the city are clearly noticeable, and there is a growing polarisation among young people who are doing well and those who are not. Additionally, threats to Vantaa’s schools are committed almost every second week, and the education/youth sector and the police in co-operation have identified number of persons raising concern (with the ability and will to carry out attacks on large crowds or structures of the society). All in all, the extremism activities within the area of the police department were relatively small in 2019, but the Criminal Sanctions Agency reported that extremism is brewing in Finnish prisons. In addition, it is notable that there are extreme far right groups operating in the area, and movements have been observed within the youth environment as well.
Strategy
Vantaa’s local safety plan 2018-2022:
The safe everyday life of residents is one of the strategic goals of the City of Vantaa. Local safety planning in Vantaa is a long-term, systematic and coordinated process for resolving local or regional security issues in collaboration with different actors. The aim of our safety planning is to prevent accidents and incidents, crime and disruption and improve people’s sense of safety. We are developing the safety of our residents through measures in all our city sectors, related to efficient service production and the identification of safety risks, as well as the safety of the built environment. Local safety planning is coordinated by the safety planning steering group. The good security level of Vantaa is improved with actions supporting the community spirit of boroughs and with the joint actions preventing safety risks, done in co-operation with the city and other authorities.
Focus Areas
The City of Vantaa currently focuses on the following:
- Increase inclusion and area/ suburb-based security work
- Prevention of domestic violence
- Safely diverse Vantaa
- Traffic safety
See more initiatives from the frontlines of Vantaa below.
Good Practise
Myönteisen erityiskohtelun ohjelma – Regional Program of Positive Special Treatment During 2019 –2021, 6 million euros is targeted to the areas that need the most support. The areas are selected according to specific regional criteria, regarding levels of education and employment, percentage of foreign-language speakers, income level and health indexes. The program aims to narrowing differences in the well-being of areas and residents. It supports integration and prevents marginalisation of young people.