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NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCHING SCHEME The
Neighbourhood Watch Scheme (NWS), run on the basic that law can be better
enforced and crime can be better prevented with the cooperation of the
people, is known to have achieved considerable success in the countries
where it has been introduced. These include
a) to reduce property crime; b) to foster police-community relations; c) to increase community spirit; d) to reduce juvenile crime by getting the youths also involved in the Scheme.
Under the Scheme, the police first identify a neighbourhood and then contact its citizens in order to motivate them to together keep their eyes, and ears open in their own neighbourhood in order to prevent crime. Apart from residential areas, similar schemes can be planned for business areas, apartments, high-rise buildings, etc.
As the basic objective of the Scheme is to prevent crime, it is proposed to select those residential areas known to be vulnerable to the following property crimes:-
a) Robberies and burglaries b) thefts c) vehicle thefts d) snatchings
Once an area is identified, it will be the task of the local police, especially the SHO / CI / SP concern to organize the residents into a cohesive and homogeneous group. For this purpose, the help of the local SFP (Special friend of Police) and residents' associations, if any, will be enlisted. The residents will be persuaded to organize a meeting and effort will be made to motivate as many residents as possible to participate in it. As personal invitations are generally hard to decline, local police officers and SFP’s will individually contact the residents in order to motivate them to attend the meeting. The broad details of the Scheme will be explained and Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWC) will be constituted, headed by a coordinator. The NWC will have representatives of the police, local bodies, resident’s associations, local voluntary organizations and the residents.
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