From RCIPS Dec 17 2018

West Bay Community Police Officers are pleased to report that more neighbourhood watches have been launched throughout the district, with two new watches being formed in recent weeks in areas that have never had a watch or community group before.  To date there are eight active community watches across Beats 10, 11 and 12.

“Things are heading in the right direction, and we are now seeing the results of our outreach efforts throughout the year,” said PS Laing-Hall, the Community Policing sergeant for Sector 3 and Beats 9-12. “We started by going door-to-door in different areas, introducing ourselves and asking if people wanted to join our WhatsApp groups for notifications.  Most people did want to be in these groups, and after some period of being in communication, people saw the benefit of sharing information this way with neighbours and police and wanted to start a Watch.”

A new neighbourhood watch was inaugurated last weekend in Suellis Estates, which is an area of Beat 12 in West Bay which has never had a neighbourhood watch before.  Beat officers PC Leslie Franklin and AC Andrew Grant attended the meeting along with other CPD officers.

 “The fact is that regular police interaction is critical to the activity of these groups; without it people don’t receive the regular updates and police information specific to their area that they want, and often lose interest,” continued PS Laing-Hall. “Before the reinvigoration of Community Policing in early 2018, a number of watches across the district were dormant.  CPD officers facilitated the reactivation of those throughout the year, and have also worked hard to add new ones.”

On Saturday, 15 December, CPD officers also attended the initial meeting of another neighbourhood watch in the Ebanks Road area of West Bay following the opening of the Leo Ebanks Children’s Playground, with several dignitaries in attendance. CPD officers will be progressing the watch in the Ebanks Road area and ask that anyone interested in joining this watch please contact the West Bay Police Station at 949-3999. 

Anyone who is interested in starting a neighbourhood watch anywhere throughout the islands should contact their local police station or beat officer.  An interactive map of the islands with the beats and contact information for beat officers can be found here.