NSW promises $10m to fight crime

Communities across NSW will be able to get their hands on up to $250,000 each to tackle antisocial behaviour under a re-elected Baird government.

Premier Mike Baird has promised a $10 million Community Safety Fund to pay for grassroots anti-crime projects such as extra CCTV cameras and better lighting.

"This will provide a real opportunity and a ground-up approach to keep our streets safe," Mr Baird told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

The fund, believed to be the first created on this scale in Australia, will include money drawn from the NSW Proceeds of Crime Fund.

Non-government and not-for-profit groups including businesses and chambers of commerce will be eligible to apply for funding.

Emmeline Taylor, a criminologist from the Australian National University, said the grants could be used to draw people to an area as much as keeping troublemakers away.

"It could be about transforming an area so that it's used more by everyday people, which is shown to then reduce crime too," Dr Taylor told AAP on Monday.

She said other communities could find ways to divert potential criminals.

"It's not just graffiti. It's about the community identifying what their issue is, so it could be vandalism or criminal damage, it could be that people don't feel safe using a particular area.

"So they can the tailor their response to that problem."

Mr Baird is expected to make a major health announcement in Randwick later on Monday.