Neighbourhood watch winning the crime fight

IT started as a small action group involving a handful of residents in a Klein Windhoek street, and has evolved into a crime-fighting association of more than 80 members who say they have reduced crime in their neighbourhood to zero.

It is the Herbst, Rautenbach and Franke Street Residents Association (HRFS-RA) and on Thursday they celebrated their third year of existence. The celebration was held in the cul-de-sac in Herbst Street and was attended by residents and members of the Windhoek municipality, including City Police chief Abraham Kanime.”A lot of people worry about the future when they should be preparing for it,” said HRFS-RA Chairperson Earl Taylor.Residents, worried about an increase in crime, decided to come up with practical steps that people could take to protect their lives and property.”Petty crimes they may have been,” Taylor said of the burglaries, car break-ins and personal attacks on community members over the years, “but petty could easily have led to bigger and more serious crimes.”The association got residents to strengthen the security around their properties, and negotiated with the municipality to enclose and clean up empty plots.They also erected fences at two of the most notorious escape routes for criminals – the cul-de-sac in Herbst Street and at a municipal substation in Rautenbach Street.More recently, the association persuaded the municipality to convert “old and unsightly” telephone poles and overhead lines to underground cables.Residents have developed their own code to report suspicious incidents or intruders, and have forged a “positive working relationship” with the City Police, alerting the Police of any suspicious people or incidents.The Association is registered with the Windhoek municipality as an active Community Watch and publishes a weekly newsletter, which includes a Crime Incidence Chart.According to the newsletter, nine burglaries occurred in the neighbourhood throughout 2003, a number that shrank to one during the first half of this year.The number of attempted burglaries and personal attacks dropped from 13 and two respectively in 2003 to zero this year.”In our newsletter, crime used to occur every week,” Taylor said.”But with the support of the Police and every community member, we’ve reduced it to zero.”He did note, however, that crime is not something that totally disappears, and urged residents to stay on their guard throughout the Christmas season.City Police Chief Kanime congratulated the association on their initiative, calling it “the successful implementation of public policing” and a good example for other neighbourhoods to follow.”It allows for the effective use of our (Police) resources,” he said.The community watch on Thursday also awarded two certificates to the City of Windhoek.The first of these, “for service excellence to a service provider that gave excellent service and co-operation”, was awarded to the City Police.The second award, “in recognition of outstanding support and contribution to the development of the HRFS-RA and to the security of the neighbourhood”, was awarded to Kanime.The celebration was held in the cul-de-sac in Herbst Street and was attended by residents and members of the Windhoek municipality, including City Police chief Abraham Kanime.”A lot of people worry about the future when they should be preparing for it,” said HRFS-RA Chairperson Earl Taylor.Residents, worried about an increase in crime, decided to come up with practical steps that people could take to protect their lives and property.”Petty crimes they may have been,” Taylor said of the burglaries, car break-ins and personal attacks on community members over the years, “but petty could easily have led to bigger and more serious crimes.”The association got residents to strengthen the security around their properties, and negotiated with the municipality to enclose and clean up empty plots.They also erected fences at two of the most notorious escape routes for criminals – the cul-de-sac in Herbst Street and at a municipal substation in Rautenbach Street.More recently, the association persuaded the municipality to convert “old and unsightly” telephone poles and overhead lines to underground cables.Residents have developed their own code to report suspicious incidents or intruders, and have forged a “positive working relationship” with the City Police, alerting the Police of any suspicious people or incidents.The Association is registered with the Windhoek municipality as an active Community Watch and publishes a weekly newsletter, which includes a Crime Incidence Chart.According to the newsletter, nine burglaries occurred in the neighbourhood throughout 2003, a number that shrank to one during the first half of this year.The number of attempted burglaries and personal attacks dropped from 13 and two respectively in 2003 to zero this year. “In our newsletter, crime used to occur every week,” Taylor said.”But with the support of the Police and every community member, we’ve reduced it to zero.”He did note, however, that crime is not something that totally disappears, and urged residents to stay on their guard throughout the Christmas season.City Police Chief Kanime congratulated the association on their initiative, calling it “the successful implementation of public policing” and a good example for other neighbourhoods to follow.”It allows for the effective use of our (Police) resources,” he said.The community watch on Thursday also awarded two certificates to the City of Windhoek.The first of these, “for service excellence to a service provider that gave excellent service and co-operation”, was awarded to the City Police.The second award, “in recognition of outstanding support and contribution to the development of the HRFS-RA and to the security of the neighbourhood”, was awarded to Kanime.