Domestic Watch addresses information
SUN VALLEY - Domestic Watch meeting to address crime prevention through information.
A meeting of the Sun Valley Domestic Watch will take place on 18 September at 11am at La Fiorentina.
This month’s meeting topic is, Get Registered Get Paid, and will address the vital topic of information for crime prevention.
The Domestic Watch operates on the basis that domestic workers and gardeners know what is happening in their suburbs, and can work as the eyes and ears of the community to prevent crime.
According to Penny Steyn of Domestic Watch, police are effective in following up tip-offs from the community, but people are often afraid to come forward with what they know. Steyn is attempting to change that by teaching people how to register as informants to receive payment for information, and how to pass on that information without risk to themselves.
“I hope and pray that [this lesson] will result in those that ‘know’, coming forward with information without putting their lives in jeopardy,” said Steyn. “The biggest problem the police have in fighting crime is lack of information.”
The lesson is structured to educate attendees about working with the police to pass on information safely, what happens to the information, and other support available to informants. The lesson will also deal with the details necessary for police to follow up on a crime, and instil caution about sharing information.
Steyn’s mission is to inspire domestic workers and gardeners to get involved in what she calls the war that all South Africans are fighting. But her top priority, she said was the safety of the people she educates.
“I will never put any of their lives in jeopardy,” insisted Steyn, who has herself been the victim of intimidation due to her anti-crime work.
Despite such experiences, Steyn remains undaunted. Through a series of 68 lessons, as well as monthly Domestic Watch meetings, she continues with her unremitting efforts to involve residents in the battle that concerns us all.
“I don’t think the community out there realises how important these lessons are. It’s a numbers game,” she said.
Details: Certificate of Attendance Ceremony, 20 November ,10am-1.30pm, psteyntraining@absamail.co.za
