By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
THEIR watchful eye was on the brink of closure last month, but now Casey Neighbourhood Watch (CNW) is celebrating a new era for crime prevention in the south east.
With a fresh chairperson and a new committee, former secretary of five years, Jen Baird, who drove the campaign for new members, is thrilled at the outcome.
“We have a committee of 12 with five new members including chairperson Rob Ward and to think it’s now able to go on is fantastic, this group seem very enthusiastic,” Ms Baird said.
A struggling Neighbourhood Watch teamed up with Inspector Paul Breen in February this year, where the top cop put the responsibility back onto the community members.
Ins Breen said CNW is a crucial “institution we can’t let die”.
“As local commander I’m sick to death of hearing people say what are we doing about the high crime rate, ice, hoons, so I say what the bloody hell are you doing?”
“Don’t tell me out of the 29 suburbs in Casey we can’t find someone from each suburb to become NW champions,” he said.
And a month on, 11 Tooradin residents have put their hands up to start a committed crime prevention group in the sleepy hollow.
Ms Baird, who spoke at a recent Tooradin community forum, said the town’s interest in Neighbourhood Watch has steadily grown.
“We had a meeting in February last year and six people in Tooradin wanted to start a committee, this year we have 11 and they have all applied through NW Victoria to get started,” Ms Baird said.
“The Tooradin branch would be amalgamated with CNW, but it will give them an avenue to council and police, rather than struggling on their own.”
Ms Baird said the forum showcased the “concern” around crime in Tooradin.
For more information on CNW visit: www.nhw.com.au
