Neighbourhood Safety Watch

PRESS RELEASE
CITY OF SUMMERSIDE
In response to initiative proposed by the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Advisory Committee recently approved by City Council, The City of Summerside is launching 2 crime prevention programs aimed at involving residents in protecting their homes, valuables, and neighbourhoods.
The goal of Neighbourhood Watch and Operation Identification is to reduce crime by encouraging neighbours to take an active role in the prevention and reporting of suspicious activity by keeping their eyes and ears open to what is happening in their community – watching out for themselves as well as their neighbours – reporting suspicious activity, keeping garage doors closed and doors locked, and by being aware.
Brochures explain how to protect homes and property as well as how to organize a Neighbourhood Watch. Communities with these programs are communities where thieves are not welcome and where property crime rates drop. Neighbours looking out for neighbours enjoy the benefits of safer friendlier communities. Put simply, good neighbours have good neighbours.
Rev. Dr. Andrew Richardson, chair of the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Advisory Committee stated; “the key to prevention is at the neighbourhood level, where communities come together”.
Neighbourhood Watch and Operation Identification information brochures will be coming to residents in their utility bills this spring. In addition, they can be picked up at the Summerside Showcase 2010 Trade Fair April 23-25, the City of Summerside Police Services, City Hall, and at sponsor locations – Summerside Canadian Tire and Colours locations.
Marked valuables have less appeal to thieves as they are easily identified and cannot be pawned. The Summerside Canadian Tire is generously donating engravers to Summerside Police Services. When they arrive Summerside residents will be able to borrow these in order to engrave their valuables with their own unique mark. Once valuables are marked, Police Services will provide window decals to place on homes, sheds and vehicles identifying that Operation Identification is in force.
Working together, we can prevent crime.