Neighbourhood Watch celebrates 40 years

Community-based crime prevention initiative, Neighbourhood Watch, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in South Australia.

The volunteer-based organisation was established here on May 1, 1985, through a pilot program in the Flinders Park area.

There are now more than 70 community groups across the state, with evidence showing having active Neighbourhood Watch can help reduce crime in an area by up to 26 per cent.

As part of the program, local police and communities work together to create safer suburbs and towns.

The groups also conduct public meetings, where local residents can raise issues of concern, help remove graffiti and develop plans for emergency preparedness in natural disasters.

The activities of Neighbourhood Watch are also being expanded online via social media groups, making it more accessible for members to share information.

To mark the 40 year milestone, Neighbourhood Watch programs can apply for grants of up to $2000 to undertake projects in their areas aimed at reducing crime.

Over the coming weeks, groups will also hold celebrations to acknowledge the hard work of volunteers and the local community.

Quotes

Attributable to Stephen Mullighan

Neighbourhood Watch has been an institution in South Australia for decades, helping to reduce the rate of crime in neighbourhoods across the state.

This 40 year milestone is really a celebration of the hundreds of volunteers who work tirelessly with police to report suspicious activity and stop criminal behaviour in its tracks.