The Bainbridge Island Fire Department has been telling you this for years: Organize your neighborhood for emergency preparedness. Now the Bainbridge Island Police Department is taking up the refrain but, in their case, with an emphasis on security.
BIPD is coordinating the Island-wide Neighborhood Watch program. To launch it, they are hosting a Neighborhood Watch meeting this Saturday, October 18, at which BIPD officers will help neighborhood volunteers organize their neighborhoods.
Police Chief Matt Hamner explained the impetus for the meeting: “One of my duties is to ensure the safety of this island from crime and any other danger that threatens your safety. I have found Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective programs available with regard to keeping communities safe. Crimes are frequently solved through citizen assistance, and strengthening our ties with the community is crucial to the police department’s continued success.”
The history of Neighborhood Watch began in 1972 when the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) created a crime prevention initiative focused on residential areas and involving local citizens. This followed an increase in crime during the late 1960s.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Neighborhood Watch programs have expanded beyond their traditional crime prevention role to help neighborhoods focus on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and terrorism awareness. And that brings us back to the BIFD and their frequent reminders to Islanders to organize their neighborhoods.
Whatever your impetus—security or emergency preparedness—know that being prepared will help you sleep better at night. The meeting starts at 6:30 Saturday evening at Fire Station 23 at Phelps and 305.
For more information or to sign up your neighborhood, contact your Bainbridge Island Law Enforcement Liaison, Officer Erik Peffer, at epeffer@bainbridgewa.gov. You may also contact him via telephone at (206) 780-4665.
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