Neighbourhood watches are the eyes and ears of the police
Crime prevention in reality is nothing like the movies. The reaction from the police may be a bit slower but that's just the way it is.- Tracy Ridsdale
PEOPLE ultimately want to feel safe in their neighbourhood and community and neighbourhood watches have become the go-to structure when one suspects criminal activity.
Neighbourhood watches are information networks that could prevent you from being caught in an act of crime, it also offers emotional support.
North Park Neighbourhood Watch chairperson, Tracy Ridsdale, highlighted that neighbourhood watches bring unity to the community.
Ridsdale, who has been chairperson for the past three years since its establishment eight years ago, said she believes the watch is the eyes and ears of the community.
Ridsdale said the community should join the watch because its the go-to structure for help and where crime trends are monitored: where it happens and how it usually happens.
“The neighbourhood watch is growing. We have a new member each week and we have a good working relationship with the police station who are happy to work with us,” she said.
North Park Neighbourhood Watch works in Northdene and most parts of Malvern. People who form part of the neighbourhood watch are ordinary civilians, unarmed and non-violent.
“The community must just understand that we are not trained police officers,” she said.
Ridsdale said as a neighbourhood watch leader, she has learned a lot from the SAPS and security personnel.
“Crime prevention in reality is nothing like the movies. The reaction from the police may be a bit slower but that’s just the way it is. The members of the neighbourhood watch sacrifice family time to look after the community,” she said.
Ridsdale encouraged the public to report all crimes. “I believe the one issue the community is facing is unreported crimes, that leads to stats being misinterpreted because some petty crimes are not recorded, and that results in police offices being deployed to other stations, leaving the local stations under staffed,” she stated.
Her advice for those who encounters crime in the neighbourhood is that they should call the police first, if they are at home and they should press the panic button before reaching out to the neighbourhood watch.
The North Park Neighbourhood Watch is non-violent, non-political, non-racial its there for the whole community. It seeks to assist everyone not only members of the watch.
Ridsdale can be contacted on 082 781 4463.
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