Police in south Manchester are encouraging local residents to get involved in the fight against crime.
As part of National Neighbourhood Watch Week, which began this week, police are asking locals to join Home Watch, a community-run initiative where members work with the police to help create safer neighbourhoods.
Home Watch, which recently celebrated its 25-year anniversary and has been hailed as the largest and most successful crime prevention initiative ever, currently has 230 schemes in operation in the south Manchester area, with a total of around 4,500 members.
Gillian Price, Watch Scheme Administrator for south Manchester said: "Neighbourhood watch schemes are proven to have considerable success at reducing crime and we really want to bring that message home to local people.
"It's one of the most active ways residents can tackle the issues that affect the community most and improve the quality of life for everyone. Police rely on help from Home Watch members to get out crime prevention messages and also for information on suspicious and criminal activity.
"Setting up your own scheme can also reduce the cost of your home insurance so it's really worth getting involved."
Neighbourhood watch schemes offer advice on how to secure your home and are a channel of communication between scheme members and local police. By talking together, neighbours can identify problems and help find solutions by working with police officers, authorities and other appropriate agencies.
As part of national changes to policing, all areas in south Manchester have a dedicated team of neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs who work alongside the local community to tackle policing issues that affect them in their area.
If you would like to become a Home Watch coordinator or to find out more about joining a scheme in your area, please contact Gillian Price, Watch Scheme Administrator on 0161 856 6087.
from GMP website author unknown
