Neighbourhood Watch – is it dead?
As editor of this newspaper I have been sent, by email, a copy of this month’s Neighbourhood Link. This is an online newsletter with information about neighbourhood support, neighbourhood watch, and neighbourhood action groups. In the top right hand corner is the Neighbourhood Watch logo.
Visiting the Leicestershire Police website (www.leics.police.uk) and clicking on the link for Neighbourhood Watch there doesn’t appear to be any active groups in the whole of Kibworth and its immediate surrounding area. There are two schemes in Fleckney. There is a sign, in my street as shown in this photograph, which has faded considerably over time.
Wikipedia tells us Neighbourhood Watch in the United Kingdom is the largest voluntary crime prevention movement covering England and Wales with upwards of 2.3 million household members. The charity brings neighbours together to create strong, friendly and active communities in which crime can be tackled. Neighbourhood Watch Network is the umbrella organisation supported by the Home Office to support Neighbourhood Watch groups and individuals across England and Wales.
The Neighbourhood Watch groups work in partnership with the police, corporate companies with aligned values, voluntary organisations and individuals who want to improve their communities. Neighbourhood Watch aims to help people protect themselves and their properties and to reduce the fear of crime by means of improved home security, greater vigilance, accurate reporting of suspicious incidents and fostering a community spirit as well as tackling new forms of crime such as cybercrime.
So what has happened to these Neighbourhood Watch schemes – have they faded away?
Neighbourhood Watch is about people getting together with their neighbours to take action to reduce crime.
They are community initiatives owned and run by their members which are supported by the police but not owned by them. They work by developing a close relationship between community members and the local police.
Neighbourhood Watch schemes can:
- cut crime and the opportunities for crime
- help and reassure those who live in the area
- encourage neighbourliness and closer community
Currently the most neighbourly active areas have resorted to the use of the latest social media apps. Many neighbourhood groups have created their own WhatsApp group or similar arrangement in their neighbourhood.
Should the signs now be taken down?
By the way, I have no idea who my Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator is. The scheme for my street was created before I came to live in my house.
Blood stocks are critically low…
