Neighbourhood Watch Schemes (not about nosy neighbours!)
Hertfordshire, Ava Lily
Although England is a pretty safe country in comparison to some, it does have higher crime than some other countries (Switzerland’s murder rate is around 45 people per year, compared to 600 in England and Wales). One factor is lack of funding for community policing.
Neighbourhood Watch schemes is where you look out for each other in communities, reporting odd behaviour.
What do Neighbourhood Watch schemes do?
Once you’ve got a few people together, you simply tell each other of any concerns, then together you could get a plan in place. This could include:
- Implementing the site’s crime prevention advice.
- Asking a designing out crime officer to visit
- Improving everyone’s front door security
- Ensuring local sheds and garages are safe
- Ensure parcels are collected, if people are away
Tips to prevent burglaries
Although burglary is classed as a minor crime, it likely won’t feel like it if it happens to you. But most burglaries are opportunistic. So most can be prevented with a few tips:
- Place ladders, bins and rubble out of sight
- Buy quality locks for doors, gates and bikes
- Don’t leave items in view from windows
- Live simply (no expensive jewels to steal)
- Mark items of value with security marks
- Use a reputable burglar alarm like Verisure
- Don’t tell people on social media, if you go away.
Other tips for safer communities
- Report crimes anonymously including rural/wildlife crime
- Install emergency call points to report unsafe areas. Calls can be anonymous (people with hearing/speech impediments can pre-register)
- Employ volunteer special constables. They patrol parks, schools and shops. And can step in before situations escalate.
- Another good tip if you’ve got a community together, is to set up a FLAP program, to help stop birds flying into windows.
