By JONATHON HOWARD
NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch groups were once considered a strong platform for police and residents to work together.
But a sharp decline in Neighbourhood Watch members has prompted Warwick Police to rethink the way they interact with residents.
Crime forums have proven a popular method of communicating with residents and Warwick Police will host the town’s first crime forum this month.
The forum will take place at King’s Theatre on 26 September from 6pm.
District crime prevention co-ordinator, Constable Wendy Tamblyn, said the meeting would seek to strengthen the relationship between residents and police.
This is in order to establish lasting links which can assist with crime prevention and police investigations, he said.
“Police rely on information from the public and by strengthening these relationships we can all help reduce crime across our region,” Const Tablyn said.
She hoped the forum would become a regular event with at least two or three being held throughout a calendar year.
Const Tablyn said a key goal from the forum was to encourage people to report crimes or suspicious activity immediately.
“We want to be able to inform people about how important it is for them to report crimes – no matter how small they may seem,” she said.
“The decline in Neighbourhood Watch has meant police need to find new and innovative ways to engage with residents and emphasise the need for a strong relationship between residents and police officers to curb and solve crimes.”
Const Tamblyn said Warwick Police detectives could use even the most basic tip-offs to assist with their investigations.
“The power of community information was evident in the arrest of Brisbane jewellery thieves last year,” she said.
“It was thanks to a local tip-off that Warwick Police were able to track down the thieves and make the arrest – it was a great example of the power of community information.”
Const Tamblyn will be joined by Detective Ryan Harmer and Senior Sergeant Stewart Day to address the Warwick crime forum on 26 September.
