'Rural
Watch Scotland' is an extension of the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland movement
and endorsed by the Scottish Partnership
Against Rural Crime (SPARC) and Forth valley Rural Crime Group aimed
specifically at the rural communities of Scotland and aims to bring all the
benefits of Neighbourhood Watch to all rural communities irrespective of
location, size or demographics.
Rural
watch is an online community for any member of the public where appeals, crime
prevention tips and safety alerts can be posted by those who subscribe which
can be viewed by all members. Subscription is free and the sharing of
information on the forum is a great example of real time crime prevention in
action.
The
objectives of Rural Watch Scotland are to:
•Reduce
crime and the fear of crime by providing the right information, to the right
people, at the right time.
•Encourage
people to think about safety and security for themselves, their neighbours and
their community.
•Improve
community cohesion and well-being by supporting communities to develop 'their
watch, their way'.
•Work
in partnership with national and local service providers to develop more
resilient communities that are better prepared against threats, intentional or
unintentional, such as crime or extreme weather.
The
experience of Neighbourhood Watch throughout Scotland and elsewhere across the
world is that members of Rural Watch Scotland will be less likely than
non-members in the rural community to be a victim of crime.
By
joining the Rural Watch Scotland scheme members can receive alerts and advice by
phone, text or email. By keeping members informed about crime and other threats
in specific areas, Rural Watch Scotland can help prevent crime, keep
communities and residents safe, and members responses to these alerts can help
catch criminals or be better prepared to deal with other threats to
communities. To join Rural Watch Scotland simply:
–
Log onto www.ruralwatchscotland.co.uk
–
Click the green JOIN button at the top of the page.
– Follow the on
screen instructions.
