HERTFORDSHIRE
RESIDENTS HELP HERTS POLICE MAKE THE COUNTY A ‘NO
GO’ ZONE FOR CRIMINALS
Criminals
will find it even harder to offend in Hertfordshire
as more people are working with the police by signing
up to Neighbourhood Watch, making the county a hostile
place for would-be offenders.
The
number of Neighbourhood Watch schemes has also increased
to 8177, with over a thousand launched in the past
year. With an average of 15 people for every scheme,
there are 120,000 eyes and ears helping keep the county
a safer place.
Over
40,000 people across the county have signed up to receive
crime alerts, police updates, witness appeals and crime
prevention messages from Hertfordshire Constabulary
to help the police fight crime.
The
messages are sent by the pioneering and award winning
Online
Watch System (OWL). OWL, an internet based tool,
is an easy to-use communication system which has helped
ward, area and street coordinators send police messages
to thousands of their members via phone, text messaging,
fax and email.
Superintendent
Dave Wharton, who leads for Neighbourhood Watch, said:
“I’m delighted that Neighbourhood Watch is
going from strength to strength in the county and that
local people are working with the police to fight crime.
Over 40,000 people are now receiving our important messages
and also have an easy and efficient way to pass information
to the police which we can use to help make their areas
even safer.”
There
are a variety of different watches that operate in Hertfordshire,
which allow specific messages to be sent to people to
keep them informed and ready to take action. These include
Business Watch, Rural Watch and Dog Watch – aimed
at businesses, rural communities and dog walkers respectively.
Superintendent
Wharton continued: “Our involvement with Neighbourhood
Watch compliments our work with Hertfordshire County
Council and local councils to understand crime and the
other issues that matter to people and then to address
them. I would like to take this opportunity to thank
those people who are involved in Neighbourhood Watch
and are making it such a success.”
Anyone
in Hertfordshire can check if their street has an active
watch scheme or they can join to find out how to start
one up themselves by visiting www.owl.co.uk and clicking
on the Watch Finder link.
Alternatively,
you can call your Watch Liaison Officer on 0845 33 00
222.
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