About Us

CHD Partners was established in 2005 by Garner Clancey, Michael Huggett and Sally Doran. We established the company to prevent crime by:

• Reducing the causes of crime
• Minimising the opportunities for crime
• Protecting victims and targets from crime

In seeking to improve community safety and prevent crime, CHD Partners is committed to:

• Reviewing, applying and producing a credible evidence-base
• Involving all stakeholders, with particular attention to those stakeholders often excluded from mainstream participatory processes
• Improving the capacity of clients and stakeholders to manage future issues
• Avoiding the promotion of, or capitalising on the fear of crime
• Contemplating unintended consequences of our work
• Developing sustainable outcomes through appropriate systems and infrastructure
• Providing ethical, transparent and accountable services

These values guide every aspect of our work.

Our most recent Year in Review report provides an insight into some of our key achievements and the ways we've contributed to a safer community.

Inter-Disciplinary Teams
Crime prevention requires an inter-disciplinary approach. We create project teams to respond to specific requirements and crime/security issues, drawing on the expertise of different team members.

Michael (Mick) Huggett (Director)

Mick's qualifications include a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education, Diploma Security Risk Management, Diploma Training and Assessment and the NSW Police Safer by Design training program. Mick resigned from the NSW Police Force in 2004 having spent 15 years as a police officer with experience in licensing, crime prevention, education and development.

Since leaving the police, Mick has worked on projects associated with security risk assessments (shopping centre, health care, licensed premises and residential development areas) and developed and delivered training on Preventing Conflict with Young People, Prevention of Armed Robbery, Cash-in-Transit, Powers of Security Guards and Managing Intoxicated People. Mick has undertaken compliance audits for the Institute of Security Executives and been a facilitator on the ASIS CPP program and is committed to ensuring training and consultancy advice to the security industry bridge contemporary theory and practice.

Jenny Bargen

From November 1997 to December 2007, Jenny was the Director, Youth Justice Conferencing with the NSW Department of Juvenile Justice. In this position, Jenny was responsible for the establishment and effective and efficient operation of the scheme of youth justice conferences set out in the provisions of the Young Offenders Act 1997. During this time, Jenny was a member of a range of government and other committees, including the State Reference Group on Diversion, and the Children's Legal Issues Committee of the Law Society of New South Wales.

Prior to 1997, Jenny was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales. During her eight years as an academic, she was an active member of the Youth Justice Coalition (NSW). In that role, she participated in numerous negotiations with government and opposition party members in the lead up to the passage through Parliament of the Young Offenders Act in June 1997. She also contributed to the research and writing of the influential 1990 report, Kids in Justice: a blueprint for the '90s (Law Foundation and Youth Justice Coalition, Sydney) and the 1994 report, Nobody Listens: The experiences of contact between young people and police (Youth Justice Coalition and Youth Action and Policy Association, Sydney).

Jenny was an active member of the NSW Juvenile Justice Advisory Council from 1995 to 1997 until her appointment as Director, Youth Justice Conferencing. She was also the founding chair of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, which provided policy and practical advice and to the Crime Prevention Division of the Attorney General's Department (NSW). Jenny served for many years as a member of the Board of the Inner City Youth Law Centre. She is currently a member of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the NSW Law Society.

In 2007, Jenny was seconded to Legal Aid NSW to research and write a review of the Children's Legal Service (From Hotline to Hothouse, Legal Aid NSW, 2008).

Jenny is passionate about working towards ensuring fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory responses to children and young people who get into trouble with the law. Reducing the possibility of contact with the formal processes of juvenile justice through robust crime prevention programs is essential to achieving this objective. The opportunity to be part of the work of CHD is an exciting new step in pursuing this aim.

Dr Garry Coventry (Coordinator of Criminology Programs, James Cook University)

Garry has a 30 year research record in a wide range of criminology, criminal justice and social justice research, program and policy issues in both Australia and the United States. He has undertaken national impact and process evaluations of crime prevention programs, totalling more than 200 sites; provided technical assistance advice to alternative criminal justice system programs and community based agencies; and has received major research grants and consultancies in Australia and the United States. Garry's current research program includes problems of criminal justice and media reporting experienced by refugees in Australia; juvenile detention and adult prison safety enhancement afforded by objective security classification systems; the construction of crime prevention strategies in Pacific Island States and Southeast Asia; and the displacement of violence from mining sites to public and private space in regional centres committed by 'fly-in, fly-out' workers who are disconnected from community structures and participation. Overall, Garry has an extensive background in contemporary criminal and social justice debates having acted as a researcher, academic and consultant to numerous government and non-government agencies.

Prior to his appointment at James Cook University, where he is responsible for the development of an interdisciplinary set of criminal and social justice programs, Garry was a former Director of the National Centre for Socio-legal Studies at La Trobe University and has taught, undertaken research and provided consultancy advice, while based in seven Australian and US university centres.

Sarah Eastlake-Smith

Sarah completed her first project with CHD Partners in 2008 after graduating with a Bachelor of Policing in 2005 from the University of Western Sydney, with Honours in 2007. Her honours thesis, entitled ‘Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention: Determining the responsiveness of drivers towards driver-targeted motor vehicle theft prevention initiatives’ has been used as the basis for a CHD Partners Crime Prevention Fact Sheet. Sarah has conducted research about young people as victims of crime and is interested in how intelligence can be used to inform future actions in both the law enforcement and crime prevention areas. She is currently undertaking a Graduate Diploma of Criminal Intelligence at Charles Sturt University, focusing on cybercrime and alcohol-related violence.

Pota Hatzopoulos

Pota completed her honours thesis for the Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) degree from the University of New South Wales in 2007. During her studies, she undertook an internship with the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit which enabled her to look at an array of criminological issues specific to women and the elderly. Pota has contributed to various projects with CHD Partners including the Approaches to Public Space Management Guide. She was previously employed as a research officer for the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, specifically on a reduction in alcohol-related harm project. Previous to her criminological studies, Pota completed her tertiary studies in marketing and was an international marketing manager for over three years. Pota is particularly interested in alcohol and drug issues and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Sydney on the media’s interpretation of the crystal methamphetamine issue (2005 - 2007) and its influence of illicit drug policies.

Amanda Jradi

In 2008, Amanda completed the Bachelor of Social Science in Criminology at the University of New South Wales. In her third year of university, Amanda became particularly interested in the central concepts and issues in the emerging crime prevention literature and practice.
During her studies, Amanda completed an internship at the City of Sydney Council (Safe City Department). Amanda’s internship research project was to conduct a comprehensive crime prevention plan for Glebe that recommended more effective ways the council could prevent crime in that area, focusing on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies.
Amanda has undertaken extensive research and evaluation for crime prevention projects for CHD Partners. Amanda is very passionate about crime prevention and enjoys evaluating projects. Amanda hopes to make a major contribution to these fields through her work with CHD Partners.

Olivia Kidon

Olivia completed her honours thesis for the Bachelor of Social Science in Criminology (University of New South Wales) in 2006.  During her studies, Olivia completed an internship at the Restorative Justice Unit of the NSW Department of Corrective Services which further strengthened her keen interest in criminology and subsequently crime prevention. Olivia has taught and continues to teach tertiary students. Olivia has undertaken crime data analysis, community consultation, research and evaluation for crime prevention projects for CHD Partners. Olivia’s interest in applying practical solutions has been intensified through the projects which have each in their own way worked towards the common goal of assisting communities create safer environments.

Vanya King



Vanya is a qualified teacher with extensive experience in teaching English as a second language. Through working with NSW TAFE, Vanya has assisted prison inmates and newly arrived migrants acquire relevant educational skills and qualifications. Vanya is currently a member of the NSW Homicide Victims Support Group. Vanya has a Masters in Criminology and has worked on local crime prevention planning, crime prevention evaluation and program design projects with CHD Partners. Vanya currently teaches crime prevention to undergraduate students and is interested in community crime prevention models.

Mark Maguire



Mark served the NSW Police Force for 20 years, working in various locations and roles. Though his policing career, Mark specialised in surveillance operations, eventually becoming an instructor in this area. Since leaving the NSW Police Force, Mark has concentrated on project management and training. Mark is interested in helping organisations prevent internal theft and fraud through covert surveillance and is interested in training staff to prevent crime in their workplaces.

Don Robertson 



Don has a 20 year background in community welfare and in the management of juvenile detention facilities for the (now) NSW Departments of Community Services and Juvenile Justice. From 1986 Don was employed at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) as an Associate Professor in Criminology and Director of the University’s Australian Centre for Security Research (ACSR), coordinating the Security and Fraud Management diploma courses and the University’s Bachelor of Policing degree.

Don’s experience and expertise is in corporate and community security where he has consulted to governments and industry in relation to crime risk auditing and in the development of crime prevention-by-design strategies. He is currently completing a PhD on the relationship and impact of (international) airport architecture on aviation security policies and operations.

Michelle Weidenhofer 



After enjoying 16 years of diverse policing experiences, Michelle resigned in 2003 from the New South Wales Police Force. During her policing career, Michelle, amongst other things, operated as an under cover operative with the Sydney District Anti Theft Squad and was a Controller of numerous inner city Police and Community Youth Clubs (PCYCs). In 2003, Michelle travelled to Alberta, Canada where she continued her work with young people at the Edmonton YMCA. Michelle has completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is involved in the delivery of Armed Robbery Awareness and Prevention and Preventing Conflict with Young People training. Michelle also facilitates workshops and programs with young people, including delivery of workshops at the Redfern / Waterloo Midnight Basketball tournaments in 2007. Michelle has facilitated community consultations and planning workshops.

Amanda Wilson

Amanda graduated with First Class Honours in the Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology) degree (University of New South Wales) in 2007 and was awarded the University Medal for Criminology. She has completed and internship at the NSW Attorney-General's Department, Crime Prevention Division and has worked on various projects for CHD Partners and other government and non-government organisations.
Amanda has also contributed to several CHD Partners publications including the Fact Sheet Series and the Induction Package for Crime Prevention Committees. She has a keen interest in crime prevention and evaluation because of their functional utility and hopes to make a significant contribution to these fields through her work with CHD Partners. Amanda is enthusiastic about and dedicated to the criminology discipline and is particularly interested in theoretical criminology, social theory and philosophy and their potential practical application and transformation.