Homewatch Scheme:
Homewatch situation...
Neighbourhood & Homewatch website
----------------------------------- To Peter Astbury (Heatley Mere Residents Association)Neighbourhood and Home Watch became one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever. Behind it lies a simple idea, and a central value shared by millions of people around the country of: · getting together with your neighbours to take action to cut local crime
The main purpose of Neighbourhood and Home Watch is to help people to protect themselves and their property and improve their local environment. The objectives are: · To prevent crime by improving security, increasing vigilance, creating and maintaining a caring community and reducing opportunities for crime by increasing crime prevention awareness; · To assist the police in detecting crime by promoting effective communication and prompt reporting of suspicious and criminal activity; · To reduce undue fear of crime by providing accurate information about risks and by promoting a sense of security and community spirit, particularly among the more vulnerable members of the community; and · To improve police/community liaison by providing effective communication channels, and by members informing the police of incidents when they occur.
A recent review undertaken on behalf of the ACPO Lead for Neighbourhood and Home Watch (Chief Constable Frank Whiteley, Hertfordshire Constabulary) concluded that in the United Kingdom, Neighbourhood and Home Watch schemes were effective in reducing crime in 79% of cases when compared with similar areas where no schemes existed.
Home Watch in Cheshire has a long history of working with the Constabulary. With approximately 2,300 schemes, there is considerable overlap in the work that Neighbourhood Policing Teams carry out and the Home Watch movement is involved in particularly in respect of: · Crime prevention · Sharing intelligence · Identifying issues of local concern · Being involved in community problem solving · Promoting social cohesion · Building community capacity · Public reassurance · Raising confidence in local policing
Constabulary Watch Officers and Crime Reduction Advisers regularly send out messages to Home Watch Coordinators regarding a number of areas including: · Distraction burglaries · Suspicious Phone Calls · Cold Calling · Crime Updates · Trading Standards Update
These messages are forwarded by Home Watch Coordinators to their members on a cascade system in various ways including: · E-mail alerts · Printed Newsletters · Formal and informal face to face meetings · Through other volunteer network systems
Free Public Liability Insurance (PLI) is available to Neighbourhood & Home Watch Associations / Schemes in England & Wales which have been formally registered with, and approved by, their local police as an authorised Neighbourhood & Home Watch Association / Scheme.
Regards Jenny A Ford
P Astbury. April 2010