BARBADIANS ARE being urged to make use of the free services offered by police to protect their homes and personal property.
Speaking at a meeting of the one-year-old Husbands Neighbourhood Network HNN) at the West Terrace Primary School yesterday, officer in charge of crime prevention Station Sergeant Stephen Griffith said people were not making use of the property marking and home security audit facilities offered.
For those who may feel that they were inconveniencing officers when they call for those services, Griffith said it was the officers’ job and not a convenience.
In the case of property marking, Griffith said it was invaluable in terms of identifying stolen items. He said items were marked by engraver and ultra violet pen.
Griffith dispelled the notion that crime investigations were completed in short order as shown in popular crime shows on television and urged people to be more proactive in areas of prevention.
He said the various neighbourhood watches had to be the eyes and ears of the police in dealing with crime.
Having said that, Griffith said police had a problem with neighbourhood watches.
The crime prevention officer said that in far too many cases, the watches ceased to function, and neighbours stopped relating to each other when the particular problem had been dealt with.
He said that while police were there to provide protection to citizens, people had to assist with their own protection and neighbours needed to help with that.
“Hometown collaboration has been eroded, the criminals know it and they love it,” Griffith stated.
He said neighbourhood watches were the grassroots solution to national security and that they help to prevent and deter crimes like burglaries, theft, vandalism, assault and rape.
But while he encouraged people to get to know and look out for their neighbours, Griffith emphasised the point that people should not expose themselves to personal harm by doing so.
He discouraged people from confronting or questioning suspects, but to call the police instead.
And in cases of burglary and theft, Griffith encouraged victims to tell the truth about what has been taken. While the perpetrator is unlikely to be freed of charges if it is found that the victim had falsified aspects of the claim, he said it was possible for the penalty to be reduced, and for charges to be brought against the victim of the crime.
The discussion about crime prevention by the HNN comes less than a week after several residents in nearby West Terrace suffered car breakings. Last year tyres on close to 100 vehicles were slashed in the West Terrace districts as well.
