There are many ways in which we can be part of making our communities safer for all of us:
Neighbourhood Watch helps neighbours to watch out for neighbours. It gets residents involved in discouraging and preventing crime at the local level. The program is based on mutual aid. Your neighbours know who you are, what type of car you drive, and may be the first to notice a burglar at your door or window. By simply getting to know the neighbours around you, you'll be well positioned to recognize someone or something that's suspicious.
When neighbours work together, they combat crime in their area in the most effective way - before it starts. Neighbourhood Watch encourages crime prevention. As part of the program, you can learn how to make your home less inviting as a target for thieves, how to engrave your valuables to enable police to identify them, and how to recognize and report suspicious activity in your neighbourhood.
There are 7 Watches in the HCCO area, with over 400 members. To find out how to join them, or to start your own Watch where there isn't one now, call our Community Police Center at 236-1222 ext. 5812 (Ottawa South, 2870 Cedarwood Drive) or email the Ottawa South Neighbourhood Watch Community Association at osnwca@rogers.com.
The Ottawa Police Service posts detailed statistics of events to which they responded. Our neighbourhoods in these lists are Hunt Club Woods (west half of the HCCO area) and Hunt Club Estates (east half). They will quickly show you how important it is to reduce crime around your home.