Police urge neighbourhood watch groups to help combat crime

In light of the proven track record of neighbourhood watch groups, high crime communities across St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are being urged to take a proactive approach and organize such groups as a means of protecting their communities.

This advice has come from Corporal of Police attached to the Public Relations Department, Edson Smith, who stressed that national security is not solely the responsibility of the government and the Police Force.

He said there are ten established neighbourhood watches across the country, of which around seven are active in their communities. He added that the “invaluable service” helps in building the relationship between police and the community, in addition to preventing potential crimes. Speaking on the January 3, 2025 edition of Cop Chat on WEFM, Corporal Smith said the police are willing to offer resources to the groups once they get going.

“If communities are desirous of starting neighbourhood watch groups, police has the resources,” Corporal Smith said, adding that the police can assist in mapping out communities and establishing liaison officers.

Head of the Layou neighbourhood watch, Carlton Browne, said he too hopes communities where crimes occur frequently will “catch themselves before anything else happens”.

“Our neighbourhood watch in Layou … we began with 58 members. This group was organized for the fact that the rate of crime and murder that was taking place at the time.”

Browne said the neighbourhood watch was set up in response to two murders that occurred in the community.

“Since we came on stream, we’ve been trying to help the police solve some of these crime situations in the area … Once they [criminals] realize there is a community watch in the neighbourhood, they don’t know who is watching.”

In the community of Belvedere, Simeon Bacchus said the neighbourhood watch there too has been reaping good results since it was established a decade ago. Bacchus said over the years, they have expanded from crime prevention to also include routine checks on the elderly who live alone and are moving to organize youth groups.

Corporal Smith said that the neighbourhood watches need not be elaborate when they are launched; the key is to get started.

“It doesn’t have to be a big thing, it can be just a lane or a street. You never know what something as small or informal as that can go into. For 2025, let us endeavour to take back our streets … take national security interests seriously.”

Commenting on improvements that can be made within neighbourhood watch programmes, Corporal Smith said there is need for better communication amongst networks.

“Instead of trying to rush the development of it, in terms of trying to get a bank account, work on building a camaraderie within the current structure. That way when leadership is selected, you don’t want to worry about in-fighting in these groups.

“When you have community members connected, then it reduces the incidents of ‘foolishness’ because people know that they will be held accountable”.