It’s been a little over a year since the Cardinal Creek Community Association set up a Neighbourhood Watch program and it is already showing significant results. According to the Ottawa Police Service crime statistics for the area, car thefts are down from 47 in 2023 to just 13 in 2024 and only four so far this year.
Other crime is down as well. Theft under $5,000 is down from 28 incidents in 2024 to just 12 incidents this year. And the incidents of mischief have dropped from 30 in 2023 to just four so far this year.
In the areas of Cardinal Creek where there are active Neighbourhood Watch volunteers the results are even more striking. In those areas so far this year there have been two car thefts, three thefts under $5,000 and one theft over, four assaults, and two incidents of mischief.
Cardinal Creek Community Association president Sean Crossan is the person who led the push to establish a Neighbourhood Watch program in Cardinal Creek along with former CCCA president Martin d’Anjou.
What started out as a modest attempt to reduce crime in the area has turned into a small army of volunteers who act as the eyes and ears of thee community. The program consists of 58 block captains and 475 residents, making it the largest Neighbourhood Watch in Ottawa.
Crossan is understandably proud of the program he helped create and even prouder of the success it’s had so far. He also acknowledges that the success of the program wouldn’t be possible without the level of commitment and cooperation that exists between the Neighbourhood Watch volunteer members and the Ottawa Police Service.
“It’s really connected the community by bringing all these people together who feel a part of the community and feel part of success we’re having,” says Crossan.
Neighbourhood Watch members are ex-pected to keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report the activity to the police in a timely manner.
Where possible the member should also keep the suspect(s) under surveillance from a safe distance until the police arrive.
The Neighbourhood Watch program is also tied into the Crimestoppers tip line to add an additional layer to their crime pre-vention efforts.
Crossan says the next step is to form an east end Neighbourhood Watch committee made up of representatives from the various Neoghbourhood Watch groups in the east end that include Blackburn Hamlet, Beacon Hill, Convent Glen, Cardinal Creek Village, and Greater Avalon. There’s also a Neighbourhood Watch group being formed in Falingbrook.
According to Crossan, the object of the committee is to share experiences and best practices to hepl make their programs more effective in preventing crime.
To find out if there’s a Neighbourhood Watch program in your neighbourhood you should contact your local community association.
SDBC TAPROOM CONCERTS PRESENTS Rory Taillon live and in concert at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 510 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. Doors open 7:30 p.m. Tickets $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
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