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Police re-visiting Neighbourhood Watch

'It has the potential to do a lot of things including decreasing crime and bringing the neighbourhood closer together'
2018-04-03 Neighbourhood Watch Sign SM
Neighbourhood Watch sign on Priam Way in Bells Corners in Ottawa. Stuart McGinn/ OttawaMatters

The North Bay Police Service are hoping neighbourhoods in North Bay and Callander come together to help keep the community safe. 

In conjunction with Police Week, the North Bay Police Service is re-visiting the Neighbourhood Watch initiative. 

"It provides us an opportunity just to reach out to the people that we serve and the people we work with in the community and with the theme being working together to keep our community safe we thought we would highlight a couple of the things we are doing this year and one is taking another look at neighbourhood watch," said John Schultz, Community Safety Coordinator with the North Bay Police Service. 

Schultz says it is not a police program and it's not really a city program, it is a neighbourhood program. 

"It has the potential to do a lot of things including decreasing crime and bringing the neighbourhood closer together," said Schultz.  

 "Especially how things have been going with COVID-19, as we open up we are hoping there will be an appetite for this within our community and we do not run Neighbourhood Watch, but we are part of it because there is a public safety component to it." 

See related: Recent arrest a fine example what Neighbourhood Watch group could do

The Police will have information provided on its website on how neighbourhoods can get started with creating their own community group. 

"Obviously, you have to reach out to your neighbours; include the local police, and even a local councillor from City Hall," suggests Schultz.  

 "Especially how things have been going with COVID-19, as we open up we are hoping there will be an appetite for this within our community and we do not run Neighbourhood Watch, but we are part of it because there is a public safety component to it. "

Schultz believes the only cost would be getting Neighbourhood Watch signage to put into your front window. 

"When you see a Neighbourhood Watch sign it shows would-be offenders that these are people in the neighbourhood who are organized and they are watching out for each other," said Schultz.

"They are an active community. It also tells people who move into the neighbourhood that it is safe here and people look out for each other and that is what we are trying to encourage here, as well as public safety." 

Schultz says this is just one of a handful of safety messages he and the police service hope will be supported and put in place by the community.   


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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