Members of the community who are voluntarily part of the neighbourhood watches (NWs) play a fundamental role in keeping our communities safer and essentially help in keeping criminals away. So, the Safety and Security Directorate has been allocated an annual budget of R1.5m for procuring equipment for accredited NWs.
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This initiative is boosted further by ward allocations from ward councillors, which for the 2022/23 financial year is R3 188 200. The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, recently indicated that an additional R1m would be available per annum for the next five years. Therefore, they can provide patrol and crime equipment to neighbourhood watches to the value of more than R5.6m.
From flashlights, spotlights, body cameras, dashboard cameras, bicycles, high visibility jackets, two-way radios, night vision equipment, and first aid kits are among the high-quality equipment to be purchased to help these vital community organisations. The Safety and Security Directorate said, during the past financial year they have provided more than 60 neighbourhood watches in 31 wards with equipment, while 20 more received training.
Not only are neighbourhood watches all-round organisations but, apart from their crime combating functions, contribute to other public safety issues and there is significant interest among accredited NWs for their possible involvement in the prevention and mitigation of disasters.
Furthermore, Alderman Smith said that the directorate will arrange for these NWs who wish to take part in this initiative to be capacitated so that they can assist the City with the management of disasters.
He added that it would include suitable training by the Disaster Risk Management Centre and the Fire and Rescue Service, as well as setting up a protocol for implementation. Ultimately, this would provide NW members with additional skills who are passionate and dedicated to keeping their communities safe.
To be accredited as a neighbourhood watch, a properly constituted body must be comprised of at least seven patrollers who are members. The patrollers have to be verified as having no criminal offence against their name. Currently, there are 312 accredited watches in the metropole.
The patrollers swear allegiance to a code of conduct and the patrol area is strictly defined.