BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — THERE was a triumphant air at the Neighbourhood Watch Conference and Leadership Workshop held last Friday and Saturday at the Everglades Conference Centre in Parottee just outside Black River.

More than 800 representatives from over 600 neighbourhood watch groups across the island attended the two-day event which saw the re-election of president of the Neighbourhood Watch Secretariat, Delroy Dobney.

Senior members of the Jamaica Constabulary worked with the neighbourhood watch reps in leadership training exercises, networking and community safety strategies, promotion and marketing and planning.

Using the theme ‘Neighbours together building safer communities’, last week’s conference and workshop, was described as the largest of its type in the 24-year history of Jamaica’s neighbourhood watch movement.

“It was very successful,” an exultant Deputy Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, neighbourhood watch island supervisor told Observer West. “Among the issues we wanted to tackle was leadership and we were able to achieve our goals,” she said.

An equally pleased Dobney said the organisation was now focused on gaining greater “corporate support” for the anti-crime work of neighbourhood watch groups in communities and “gaining recognition for neighbourhood watches across the length and breadth of the country”.

Head of the police community safety and security branch, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police James Forbes reminded the conference of how he had been mandated by commissioner of police Owen Ellington two years ago to “revive” and “resuscitate” what was perceived then as growing dormancy in the neighbourhood watch movement.

“Mission on way,” a proud Forbes told Ellington on Saturday.

Lindsay reported to the conference that there were 651 “launched” neighbourhood watch groups across Jamaica. Since the start of this year, 23 new groups had been launched, 63 dormant groups “sensitised” and 27 more were ready to be launched.

Such was the increasing vibrancy of the movement that five groups were being formed in the difficult western Kingston division, she said.

In a message delivered by director of crime prevention and community security, Courtney Brown, Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson hailed the work of neighbourhood watchers.

“The growth of the neighbourhood watches at this time when we are beginning to see crime levels subside is significant in many ways,” said Nelson. “First, it signals the shift that is now taking place in communities as residents begin to resist the play of the ‘informer culture’. This is a tremendous turnaround, as citizens have taken on the challenge of resisting criminal elements and are actively collaborating with the police to make their communities safer,” the minister added.

Arguing that local concerns and problems are best known by residents and local police personnel, Nelson said “I have long held the view that one of the solutions to beating crime is to directly involve and engage citizens in meaningful ways”.

Nelson spoke of the need to “build resilience in the structure and dynamics of our communities to ensure that they can resist the decaying influence of crime and violence, as well as mobilise to help each other during times of natural and man-made disasters. If we are able to have good relationships among neighbourhoods and between the various communities, then together we can restore public order.

“We envision a future role of the neighbourhood watches which enhances the work of public services and helps citizens to adequately access and benefit from the services of the police as well as other government agencies. This means, through the network of the various neighbourhood watches, citizens will be empowered and equipped to play a key role in their personal security and that of their neighbourhoods, instead of solely relying on the police”.

Nelson hailed the leadership of the JCF for “overseeing and restructuring how neighbourhood watches operate and the relationship between the local stations and citizens through the training of station managers and citizens”.

Ellington who was hailed and serenaded at the conference for his leadership role in fighting crime reminded neighbourhood watchers that by their community action they were not only ensuring greater safety and security but protecting the “value of your assets”.

The JCF was keen to continue to build “partnerships” with all stakeholders in the fight against crime, he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds said the neighbourhood watch movement was central to fighting against gangs and dons.

“Where there are strong active neighbourhood watches, gang activity is low,” he said.