MEDIA STATEMENT BY ANDREW FRASER,
ACTING MINISTER FOR POLICE AND CORRECTIVE SERVICES

For the past 20 years, local Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) groups have helped create a genuine sense of security with our communities.

It is an example of one of the many community-policing partnerships, which enable people to act as the eyes and ears for police and work together to address local concerns.

Like other programs, NHW is being reviewed to ensure it remains relevant and effective 20 years on, and meets the demands generated by Queensland’s rapid population growth.

While Queensland’s overall crime rates have being steadily falling for the past four years (remaining stable in 2005-06), the population growth has changed the make-up of our neighbourhoods and the types of crime and safety issues which affect our community.

Last year Police Minister Judy Spence established a committee of 26 State Members of Parliament to work with their local NHW groups to identify new opportunities and ideas for the program to ensure the program reflects the needs of different neighbourhoods.

The committee’s co-chairs have determined the scope, terms of reference and timeframe of the review, and this month members will write to their local NHW groups to organise meetings.

The meetings will be used to refine the purpose of the NHW program, improve the meeting process, look at police involvement and streamline contact between groups and the Police Service.

Local NHW groups will be asked to prepare a submission to help shape the future of the program to ensure it remains a relevant and important community-policing partnership.

As well, a series of regional community forums will be held across the state to capture the ideas from the broader community.

It is expected that the review will be complete by the end of the year.