The Ministry of National Security on Monday, officially launched its National Neighbourhood Watch Council (NNWC) at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre – an initiative to oversee and promote neighbourhood watch activities throughout Bahamian communities. 

Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, delivered the keynote address and stressed the importance of a relationship between the police and the community. 

“We understand that in order for our nation to become even safer, communities must play a more active and coordinated role in crime prevention,” Minnis said. 

“The National Neighbourhood Watch Council is a platform to which citizens and residents may be involved in devising and participating in activities that strengthen the security of your respective communities.”

However, Dr. Minnis reminded the members of the various crime watch committee’s that although their assistance is significant, their safety is more important. 

“Always remember that you are not police officers, as you conduct your community patrols, we do not expect you to engage suspects,” he said.

“Your primary mission is to observe and report suspicious activities to the police in a timely fashion. Your safety and security is of vital importance.” 

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Stephen Dean, acknowledged the NNCW as the new wave to crime prevention in communities.  

“I would go on record to say, I believe this is one of our most ambitious approaches  to crime prevention ever undertaken in this country,” he said.

“It is ambitious because neighbourhoods have been doing some things, in various neighbourhoods when we talk about established crime watch groups, but never before were we able to bring all the neighbourhood watch groups together in one place.”

“We went out and found out where community crime watch groups existed in our community. We found over 30 in New Providence. 

“We found some have gone dormant,  but we intend to resurrect all of them. 

We did not just stop here; we went to Grand Bahama, where we met with powerful groups of community crime watch people, excited people,” Dean said.

“I remember some of the comments said Mr. Dean, we were waiting on this. Some groups have faded away because of leadership involvement; we were not coordinated, so this is working perfectly.”

Each police division has  an officer who will provide logistical support to the various crime watch groups within its division. 

The NNWC was an initiative outlined in the FNM’s 2017 manifesto.