Important News About BlockWatch
We need your input!
The Block Watch program was developed in Calgary in the 1980’s to reduce property crime by developing crime awareness, increasing neighbourhood cohesiveness, and increasing the reporting of suspicious activities. Networks of neighbours were organized in “blocks” around back laneways, and were provided with home security and crime prevention training. Our own community of Glamorgan developed a Block Watch program in 1984, shortly after its introduction in Calgary. Our efforts were highly successful with a large majority of community members enrolled. In the first year of the program, residential break-ins in Glamorgan were reduced by 50%!Unfortunately, the Calgary-wide umbrella group supporting the work of Block Watch crime prevention programs (Calgary Community Block Watch Council) has recently ceased to exist. The future of community programs is therefore now in limbo, so the Glamorgan Community Association has asked us, as active block captains, to poll community residents about the current status of and interest in Block Watch in Glamorgan. Block Watch in Glamorgan continued for many years with dedicated Block Captains and a Board. In recent years, however, there has been no active coordinating body in our community, and so it isn’t known how many blocks are still active.
To determine community interest in maintaining some form of community crime prevention program in Glamorgan, we ask you to respond to the following questions via phone or email by February 1st. You may also submit your comments to the community association office:
- Is Block Watch active in your “block”? Do you know who is your Block Captain? Do you have a current Block map?
- Do you feel there is value in having some form of community crime prevention program in Glamorgan?
- Would you be willing to help with co-ordinating the effort to revitalize such a program if there is sufficient interest?
We do not want to give the impression that Glamorgan is a hotbed of crime;we remain a very safe community overall.
But we are not completely crime-free. For your info, here are a few 2010 stats (source:Calgary Police Service) regarding crime in Glamorgan;
Total counts of crime reported in 2010 116
Break and Enters 21
Stolen Vehicles 19
Street Robberies 2
Your responses to this brief survey will determine future community action on crime prevention – please make your voice heard!
Loretta Biasutti 403-249-5945 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Wendy Moore 403-217-5847 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
