Volunteers are being sought to swell the ranks of Neighbourhood Watch in the Looe area. Neighbourhood beat manager PC Garth Hatt and his colleague community support officer Bob Anslow this week put out a plea for people to come forward to serve either as co-ordinators for the scheme or simply as members but with no adminstrative role. There are already 15 Neighbourhood Watch schemes operating in the town, but PC Hatt is keen to expand into areas currently not covered. He said: 'Those parts of the town which already have a scheme of their own enjoy lower crime rates than the areas not covered.' He added that while that may in part be due to the nature of the areas concerned, the effectiveness of Neighbourhood Watch as a deterrent to crime is not in question. PC Hatt also pointed out that volunteers working as part of the scheme are not in the 'front line', called upon to go out on patrol or to become involved in policing in any way other than as to act as a point of contact between local officers and their communities, liaising with residents and distributing information – the extent of their involvment is entirely up to the individuals concerned. There are also opportunities for improving the local environment, helping the young and vulnerable and other community projects, which Neighbourhood Watch volunteers elsewhere have become involved in through their work for the organisation. Co-ordinators are kept up to date on issues of interest, such as crime statistics for their areas, through regular newsletters and through access to information available on the internet. 'It is also a good way of getting to know your neighbours socially,' said PC Hatt. l Anyone who would like to know more about Neighbourhood Watch should contact either him or PCSO Anslow at Looe police station.
