A meeting in several weeks will contine plans to introduce a Block Watch program into the community, says the commander of the Houston RCMP detachment.
Sgt. Jason Burndred said the meeting will provide more information on how residents can participate in the effort to reduce crime in the community.
Block Watch operates on the basis of citizens keeping an eye out for suspicious behaviour with knowledge of the program acting both as a deterrent to crime as well as having citizens report the behaviour or activities to the police for further action.
Block Watch programs elsewhere have resulted in a drop in residential break ins and other criminal acts.
“We’ve had a few meetings already and there’s good community interest,” Burndred said of prelimary planning so far.
“This is a way for positive community involvement,” he added.
The program also offers information and advice on methods to make property and residences less vulnerable to crimes such as break ins.
Posting of Block Watch signs, for example, give notice to criminals that people in the area are on the lookout for suspicious behavior.
In many respects Block Watch puts a structure to and builds on informal contact that already exists between the police and the community, said Burndred.