The first thing to remember is that every member of a Neighbourhood Watch is a volunteer. They’re there because they want to do something about crime in their community

In high crime areas that means helping to reduce the incidences of crime, and where it’s low making sure it stays that way.

The Watch is also a partnership between those volunteers, Tendring District Council, Parish Councils, Community Safety Departments and the Police.

Watches in Tendring are known for keeping their eyes open and reporting any suspicious activity to the police, who can then take action.

Watch members aren’t have-a-go heroes, and they’re not intended to be. They have a role, and leave apprehending the bad guys to the police, who are trained for it.

We encourage street co-ordinators to meet with their neighbours to share concerns and provide an update.

They are all invited to attend the area meetings held at regular intervals and as necessary. Everyone is invited to the higher profile district meetings which are held  at least 8 times a year and additionally as necessary. Our progress and concerns are shared by Mike the Chairman at County and other meetings to get the best possible outcomes for the Neighbourhood Watch of which we are all part. We are planning special project days that we feel sure you'll like.

A number of social evenings have been held and these will continue while they develop a closer community spirit and help people to feel safer in their homes and on the streets. A special seasonal celebration is I believe in the offing for all members of the ever increasing family within the neighbourhood watch in Tendring.

Training opportunities are on the agenda for all members of the Watch. One such day being planned for 2010 is a crime solving event—with co-ordinators teams taking part in this competitive adventure. It’s fun but also has a very serious and educational side as well for us all.

In this modern age we using increasingly modern technology which becomes so often part of every day life. We will still use Ringmaster and some hard copy but Emails and Texts are increasingly common and user efficient. We have a magazine, which you are invited to submit articles for. This in hard copy at present but we feel sure will be produced online as well in the future. If you want training in the use of a PC – let us know as soon as possible.

Every contribution helps

Of course, crime will happen no matter how vigilant people are.The watch has kits people can use to mark appliances such as TVs, DVDs, etc. That way, if they’re stolen and recovered, they can be returned to their rightful owners. It might not seem like much, but it all helps.

So do the crime prevention kits that Watch members can give to people in the community. They offer tips to make residents feel safer, and to cut down on the possibilities of burglaries and car theft.

Perhaps the greatest contribution the Watch can make is to allow people to feel safer in their homes. That really is an important factor. People shouldn’t have to live in fear, especially the elderly, and knowing the Watch is looking out for them can relieve a lot of community stress. It increases a sense of trust in the community and a community spirit that also makes Tendring a better – and, of course, safer – place to live.

The Deterrent Factor

In fact, the mere existence of a Neighbourhood Watch can act as a crime deterrent. People know they’re going to be observed and details noted if necessary, and the Neighbourhood Watch sign at the head of an area acts as a warning.

Additionally, police will take a tip from a trained Watch volunteer seriously and react quickly. If there are crime trends in the general area, the administrator will let Watch co-ordinators know immediately, and they’ll tell volunteers, which means local people can often be ahead of the criminals and be prepared.

The police are there to help, of course – it’s a main part of their job – but initiatives are always going to be more effective if they come from the grass roots, from the people who live in an area, and who have a stake in the place and the quality of life there.

We are justly pleased with the increase in the numbers of co-ordinators throughout most of Tendring and their enthusiasm. This will be reflected in the proactive area and district programmes of meetings to be planned for 2009/10 – building up an even stronger community spirit and making the residents safer.