When COVID-19 relaxes its grip on the community, Powell River RCMP’s block watch program will be expanded to help neighbourhoods monitor suspicious activity.
At the April 8 meeting of the Westview Ratepayers Society, Powell River RCMP constable Paula Perry, who coordinates community policing, outlined the program for ratepayers.
Perry said it is a bit of a challenging time because timing of the launch of the block watch program and COVID-19 coincided. She said in order to launch, it needs community contact.
“It needs door-to-door; it needs block parties,” said Perry. “It is going to be delayed a little bit. I am confident it is going to be successful once COVID-19 passes.”
Perry said once the program officially launches and neighbourhoods sign on, block watch signs will go up. She added that the program was created in 1986 and modelled after a program in Seattle, where there was a 60 per cent reduction in residential property crime after the watch was started.
“That’s very significant,” said Perry. “Since the program has been implemented in BC, it has also been influential in reducing residential crime and getting people to connect with their neighbours.”
Perry said block watch is a volunteer program that consists of a block watch captain, and then it requires the neighbourhood residents to participate, along with the police. She said she will be the liaison for the police and the police contact.
“I will be connecting with the captains, who will then be connecting with the residents,” said Perry.
Goal is to prevent crime
The main objective for block watch is for communities to partner with the police to build safer neighbourhoods by encouraging residents to take a proactive approach to crime prevention and safety, and reducing the opportunity for crime.
“It is really getting the neighbours involved and being proactive to prevent crime,” said Perry. “I’ll send out monthly newsletters with tips on how to keep your property safe and how to watch out for your neighbours.”
Participants in the block watch program watch for suspicious activity, and if suspicious activity is observed, it is reported to police, and the incident is also reported to the block captain.
“That can be done by email so it’s very easy,” said Perry.
She said in order to build the block watch program, her commitment is to build safer neighbourhoods.
“I do that by providing support and guidance, training and resource materials,” said Perry.
In terms of how people can participate, it involves getting to know people’s neighbours and keeping an eye out for each other, according to Perry.
“Everyone’s probably doing this, watching out for their streets and their neighbours, so it’s just an extra step of calling the police if you see something suspicious,” said Perry. “Block watch requires two commitments, including being concerned about your neighbours and their property, and to report suspicious or criminal activity to police. It really is very simple and takes little time.”
Block watch does not involve patrolling the neighbourhood, putting participants in danger or requiring participants to give up their privacy, according to Perry.
For anyone interested in becoming a block captain, they take training with Perry and set up the block. There is an application process and all block captains are security cleared.
Perry said there are currently six captains who are trained and ready to go but the program is at the stage that requires door-to-door canvassing and that’s just not feasible right now.
“Once more people in town are vaccinated and face-to-face gatherings are allowed, I’ll meet with the captains and get things moving again,” said Perry. She will also, at that point, begin recruiting more block captains.
