Work of Ljubljana's Municipal Warden Service – From Repression to Prevention and Collaboration
Purpose:
This article highlights the work of Ljubljana’s Municipal Warden Service (MWS), emphasizing the application of criminological knowledge in both preventive and repressive efforts.
Design/Methods/Approach:
We performed both qualitative and quantitative analyses using data from the SUDMR and PowerBI apps, employed by municipal wardens to track preventive actions and map repressive measures.
Findings:
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in both repressive and preventive actions of municipal wardens, with 115,453 measures implemented and 2,752 hours allocated to preventive work in 2022. The majority of repressive measures targeted road-related offenses. Community-oriented work and engagement were prioritized, especially in the densely populated city centre, focusing on road traffic and vulnerable road users. Integrating the apps used by MWS with criminological knowledge supports future planning, implementation, and justification of measures, as well as urban planning. Besides, mutual cooperation and exchange of information between MWS and other stakeholders are key to comprehensive security provision in the local environment.
Research Limitations / Implications:
A key limitation is that we only analysed repressive and preventive measures conducted by the MWS Ljubljana in 2022.
Practical Implications:
Applying criminological findings to municipal warden work is effective. Utilizing hot spot displays supports informed decision-making and preventive strategies. In instances where general prevention methods and misdemeanour procedures prove ineffective in ensuring public safety and preventing violations, particularly findings from the field of prevention, community policing and plural policing, can be useful
Originality/Value:
This study is pioneering with a unique approach, utilizing new methodologies and perspectives to explain and validate the work of municipal wardens.
UDC: 351.742(497.451.1)
Keywords: Municipal Warden Service, City of Ljubljana, criminological findings, prevention, repression, local safety and security