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| Neighbourhood Watch Queensland 30th Birthday Cake |
Police Minister Mark Ryan and Commissioner Ian Stewart congratulated Neighbourhood Watch Queensland on its 30th birthday and thanked the thousands of volunteers who help to keep their communities safe from criminal activity, at the state conference on Saturday, October 6.
“Neighbourhood Watch remains as important a resource for combating crime today as it was when it was established in Queensland in 1988,” Mr Ryan said.
Addressing the third annual Neighbourhood Watch Queensland Conference on the Gold Coast, Mr Ryan said the organisation encouraged community spirit and worked to reduce the incidence and fear of crime.
“Neighbourhood Watch made a big impact when it was introduced 30 years ago and it remains one of the most important crime prevention initiatives in the state by focusing attention on home security and reporting suspicious activity to police,” he said.
Mr Ryan said he had been advised there were some Neighbourhood Watch volunteers who were still active in the organisation 30 years after being original signatories in 1988.
“The great thing is that people can continue to play a role at any age and I understand there are some volunteers who are now in their 80s and 90s who have been helping to keep their local communities safe for decades.
“They are unsung heroes and I want to thank them for their dedication.”
There are 425 Neighbourhood Watch groups in Queensland and the number of volunteers continues to increase with the growth of the organisation’s social media presence.
More than 500 local events will be staged during Neighbourhood Watch Week runs from October 6 to October 12.
At today’s conference, Police Commissioner Ian Stewart presented awards to police officers, police liaison officers and volunteers in recognition of their outstanding achievements and service to Neighbourhood Watch Queensland.
“The QPS will continue to support NHWQ groups in their efforts to strengthen and connect our communities to ensure a safe and secure Queensland for all,” Commissioner Stewart said.
“Just as the community relies on police to stop crime and make Queensland safer, the police, in turn, rely on the community for support NHWQ provides QPS the opportunity to further build ties and work closely with members of the community.
“I applaud everyone here today for the work, time and effort that you all put into making Queensland communities safer through the Neighbourhood Watch program.”
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| 30 years of crime-fighting celebrated at Neighbourhood Watch conference |