Effective Community Crime-fighting Programs
By Donovan Dela Cruz
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Del.icio.usDistrict 2 residents have two crime-fighting tools at their disposal: the Neighborhood Security Watch Program and the Honolulu Police Department’s Crime Analysis and Targeting program.
The NSW initiative is one of the most effective ways to prevent crimes in our neighborhoods. They allow residents with a vested interest in their communities to assist law-enforcement efforts. This collaborative problem-solving, mutual commitment between law enforcement and the community has helped cities and neighborhoods across the country reduce crime by significant numbers.
Aside from being a crime deterrent, a neighborhood watch creates a sense of community by bringing together a group of citizens intent on helping to improve their common safety. It can also serve as a springboard to other efforts such as beautification projects like graffiti paint-outs and community cleanups.
Combine neighborhood watch with HPD’s CAT and you have an effective one-two punch against crime. CAT was designed to help law enforcement and the community track crimes. It has been a successful tool for the police and has allowed District II (Mililani, Kunia, Wahiawa, Whitmore, Waialua, Haleiwa, Waimea, and Sunset Beach) to record the highest property crime drop of all the Oahu districts covered by the police department.
CAT provides current and recent crime information and updates it on a weekly basis. The sharing of real-time data allows everyone to be aware of crime trends, trouble spots and possible suspicious activity in a given area.
This form of intelligence-led community policing assists the public in crime deterrence. Information on the website can help residents better protect themselves and their property by informing them of the types of crimes being committed and the area and possible time lines of the incidents.
We can help protect our communities from crime by working together and utilizing these proven crime-fighting programs.
For more information, please or visit HPD’s District II website at http://honolulupd.org/patrol/d2/in dex.htm, or call my office.
Contact City CouncilmanDonovan Dela Cruz, District II (Mililani Mauka to North Shore), to Ahuimanu and Heeia) at 768-5002.
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