Police present crime reduction plan

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 503, 14 September 1993, Page 6

Police present crime reduction plan

The Police Commissioner Richard Macdonald has made a personal appeal to

residents to mark 'Neighbours Week', (1828 September) by shutting down the

opportunities for crime in their own streets. "Neighbours are literally the first line of support for each other and there is no substitute for knowing there is someone to immediately turn to," he says. "For many people support from family, friends and neighbours isn't always as strong and reliable as it used to be and that lack of support opens the door for law-break-ers," says Mr Macdonald. 'Neighbours Week' is a chance to focus on bringing neighbours closer together to reduce actual crime, and the fear of crime, in the immediate vicinity. "Staying safe is about making a conscious decision to involve yourself in not only making your own home and possessions secure - but contributing to the safety of those immediately around you.

Doing that can be as simple as making sure you have the phone numbers of all your immediate neighbours and knowing them well enough to call for support at any time of the day or night," says the commissioner. When you see criminal activity, or anything suspicious, call the Police immediately. Good neighbours 'Neighbours Week' doesn't ask much of you - but it will leave you feeling a bit more secure in your immediate locality. Most of us have already established good relationships with our neighbours, some of us have let them drift and some of us never got round to getting to know the neighbours. Deputy Commissioner

(Operations) Ian Bird says with 80 per cent of all crime being committed at neighbourhood level, there's a strong incentive for residents to work more closely together. "In our five-year crime reduction plan we've recognised that if we, and you, get it right in your part of your street there will be direct benefits: • an actual reduction in crime; • a reduction in the fear of crime; • an improvement in the quality of life. "If more and more 'parts' of each street take the same committed approach, pretty soon it will be a fool-hardy criminal who tries anything on," he says. Mr Bird says the Police would regard the next step - forming or joining a Neighbourhood or Rural Support Group -

i as a welcome bonus for 'Neighbours Week'. "The important decision is to at least get to know immediate neighbours well enough to call for support at any time." Telephone tree When we want help, we want it fast and that usually means a telephone call. The Police want to make sure we have fast access to the phone numbers of our immediate neighbours and all the emergency numbers we need. For 'Neighbours Week' between 18-28 September, all households will be receiving a cardboard telephone tree in the shape of a police helmet and the idea is to make sure all the phone numbers are

filled in by the end of the week. The Police recommend keeping the telephone tree handy to the phone. This is just one of the resources the Police will have available and other items include: • sets of three crime prevention booklets covering property and possessions and personal protection; • a video called 'Being a Good Neighbour' (available for loan); • Neighbourhood or Rural Support Group street signs and house stickers. They can be obtained, or borrowed, from any Police Station or Harcourts real estate office. Local police will provide advice on how to set up a Neighbourhood or Rural Support Group.