The saying ‘it takes a village’ could not be any truer when it comes to making your community safe.
It is usually your neighbours who see if something is wrong at your home, and this makes them ideal partners in the fight against crime.
This is why Fidelity ADT Security has issued a call to South Africans to become involved with their local community safety groups as these voluntary organisations have been proven to make a positive difference.
“If we stand together with our next-door neighbours and look after each other, we can make our suburbs ‘no-go zones’ for criminals,” said Stuart Clarkson, managing executive of Fidelity ADT.
For people who have just moved into a new suburb, Clarkson suggested making the effort to meet your neighbours and share contact details with them. They could also give beneficial advice on present community safety organisations in the area. In other cases, your local security company can also put you in touch with members of your community safety organisation.
Not all communities have the drive or desire to set up a formal neighbourhood watch, but this does not mean there is nothing residents can do in terms of organising themselves.
“If you don’t have a community watch, we suggest setting up regular meetings with the local Saps to workshop ideas on how you could assist them in keeping the area safe,” said Clarkson.
“It could be as simple as just sharing tips and advice and having a reliable list of contact details for each other. We all have a part to play and we simply can no longer be idle bystanders when it comes to our own safety.”
He strongly urged anyone who lives in an area where a neighbourhood or community watch has already been set up, to become involved with the organisation. Involvement could range from becoming a patroller to offering monetary or logistical admin support.
Knowing who lives in your area and engaging with your community often leads to collective security execution. This has proven to be far more impactful than individual efforts, Clarkson explained.
When neighbours start sharing security tips and reporting suspicious individuals or vehicles spotted in their area, security providers and the police are able to get a better understanding of the activity in the area and implement effective crime prevention tactics.
Clarkson said that it is also important to introduce your children to your neighbours. For instance, you can agree to keep an eye on each other’s children as they play. Teach your children to go over to one of your neighbours if they are home alone and feel unsafe.
Another good idea is to write the contact details of at least one or two of your neighbours on your list of emergency services numbers and keep this near your telephone. In the event that something happens to you or a loved one in your home, a neighbour will be able to assist you until emergency services arrive.
“The men and women of the South African Police Services simply cannot be everywhere all the time. Neighbours that care about each other and become active participants in the safety of their suburb can make a massive difference,” said Clarkson.
He concluded that making your suburb a no-go zone for criminals is a community effort and proves fruitful in the long run.
