NHW SA Watch on SA magazine Issue 18, 2020

Watch on SA Neighbourhood Watch SA Magazine Issue 18 - 2020

Generous donation not made in ‘vein’

Neighbourhood Watch SA a safe and connected community

IN THIS ISSUE

From the State Coordinator Welcome to the first issue of Watch on SA magazine for 2020 and what a turbulent time we are all going through at the moment. The spread of the COVID-19 virus has certainly caused everyone at all layers of the Neighbourhood Watch SA (NHW) program to re-think how we are going to conduct our business.

NHW groups have, for many years, held public meetings to conduct business and to have face to face access to their local police coordinator.

Such meetings now cannot take place, and the NHW team have been thinking carefully about how to counter this potential disconnect whilst enabling a regular flow of information between SAPOL and individual NHW groups.

Mindful that many NHW Areas are still producing newsletters, the NHW team are producing a weekly crime prevention bulletin and sending it to all NHW Area Coordinators for inclusion in their group newsletters and pushing out to subscribers to NHW news.

In other news, I have recently returned to the role of NHW State Coordinator. In the few months away I managed several other crime prevention portfolios in State Community Engagement Section including Operation Nomad (SAPOL’s bushfire prevention campaign), the statewide motor vehicle crime prevention campaign, retail shop theft reduction program and the building site theft reduction program.

This diverse range of portfolios all address one common theme – offenders choosing to commit crime, and how we can stop them from getting away with it.

We hear a lot about the fear of crime versus the likelihood of becoming an actual victim of crime, and it would serve as an interesting exercise if we were to ask a sample of community members which of these types (and indeed any other types of crimes) they fear the most.

So far, two weekly crime prevention bulletins have been sent to NHW Area Coordinators which discuss the important topics of identity theft and vehicle security. Feedback from individual NHW Areas has been very positive.

Stealing from retail shops is a widespread problem which costs the retail industry millions of dollars each year, but it’s debatable whether it creates widespread fear for safety. Similarly, the theft of building material from building sites, despite occurring somewhat frequently, is probably in the same category.

I also want to encourage NHW volunteers and other community members to familiarise themselves with, and start following us on our NHW Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NeighbourhoodWatchSA and sign up to receive all our Neighbourhood Watch News updates direct to your inbox via our website at www.police.sa.gov.au/nhw.

Arsonists starting bushfires certainly cause widespread fear, particularly among communities more prone to the ravages of bushfire. Even for those residing or doing business in areas less prone to the immediate risk of bushfire, they are still likely to be impacted by the wider ramifications of a bushfire not in their immediate vicinity.

For readers wanting the most up to date information on the COVID-19 virus, please utilise:

Theft from vehicles is another significant problem, with registration plates being the most common item stolen from vehicles in South Australia. The inconvenience factor for the owner having to replace the plates is real, but the higher risk to personal safety to other parties comes when the stolen plates are subsequently displayed on another vehicle which is then used to commit a more confrontational crime, or driven in an erratic and dangerous manner to evade police or detection.

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SA COVID-19 Information Hotline on 1800 253 787 (8 am to 8 pm)

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National COVID-19 Information Hotline 1800 020 080 (24/7)

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or visit sa.gov.au

From the State Coordinator...................... 2 President’s report..................................... 3 Neighbourhood Watch Week.................... 3 NHW SA AGM and Awards Ceremony.... 4 Safer Internet Day 2020........................... 5 Generous donation not made in ’vein’...... 6 Volunteer cleans up with award win......... 7 Caravan and RV security.......................... 7 Events calendar........................................ 8 Steps for walking safely............................ 8

been to encourage the reporting of suspicious activity to the police and one would think that all these types of criminal activity, if observed, could well be perceived as suspicious behaviour, resulting in a call to the police. This is why NHW works so well; the thousands of volunteers who belong to local NHW groups serve as the eyes and ears for SAPOL and increase our surveillance at a grass roots level, namely among all the diverse communities where these crimes are committed.

So regardless of the type of crime being perpetrated, or the degree of fear or scope of harm it may cause, if it is suspicious, please report it.

At its very core, the ethos of NHW has always Sergeant Phil Gurr Neighbourhood Watch SA State Coordinator South Australia Police

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President’s report The Neighbourhood Watch Volunteers Association of South Australia (NHW VASA) and South Australia Police held their Annual General Meeting for Neighbourhood Watch SA (NHW SA) last November. This is also our Annual Awards Presentation Ceremony, where nominated NHW SA volunteers and SA Police officers receive an award – an appropriate recognition for their outstanding service to the NHW SA program.

Unfortunately, nominations were not readily forthcoming from many of the Districts, Local Service Areas or individual NHW Areas, which all made the last Awards Ceremony disappointingly light-on with only a few recipients.

It is important that people make nominations, as the Awards Ceremony provides an arena in which to showcase fine examples of service to the community through the NHW SA program, and celebrate these achievements by our dedicated volunteers, police, and even the general public.

However, feedback from volunteers and police reveals that a potential barrier to nominations is the existing ‘NHW Awards and Recognition Policy’ which has been described as being difficult to understand, particularly when trying to decide under which category to nominate a person or NHW group for an award.

To this end, and in the interests of continuous improvement, the NHW Board of Management and the NHW SA State Coordinator will be working to improve the current policy, and make it a more user-friendly and easily understood document, which clearly sets out each category and the procedure to follow to nominate.

Phil Tavender President Neighbourhood Watch Volunteers Association of SA Inc.

We know that many NHW groups, individual volunteers and police officers are doing some really fine work out in the community, much of which is easily worthy of a nomination, but all too often they don’t get nominated. The new and simplified policy, together with the wider promotion of the event, will go some way to increasing the number of nominations, which in turn will enable their efforts to be formally recognised, which they deserve.

Neighbourhood Watch Week Neighbourhood Watch Week was held from 13 to 20 November 2019, coinciding with Bunnings Crime Prevention Week.

SA Police and Neighbourhood Watch Areas across South Australia took to their local Bunnings stores to celebrate and promote the Neighbourhood Watch program and educate the public on safety, security and connected communities.

Photo: Sergeant Rick O’Dea from SA Police’s State Community Engagement Section at the Neighbourhood Watch Week display at Bunnings Mile End.

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NHW SA AGM and Awards Ceremony 2019 The unwavering support and commitment of volunteers and police officers to the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) program was recognised at an awards ceremony on 16 November 2019.

Held at the Education Development Centre in Hindmarsh, the 2019 Neighbourhood Watch Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony attracted NHW members from across the state.

NHW State Coordinator, Sergeant Phil Gurr addressed the group and spoke about the current state of NHW and the future direction of the program. Detective Inspector Joanne Barnes from Southern District Investigations attended to present the following awards to our hardworking volunteers and police officers: NHW President’s Award: Gunter (Mac) Vogel Mac and his wife Rita launched the Hope Valley/Highbury NHW Area in 1990, and 30 years later the group is still going strong. As the group’s only secretary for that entire time, Mac has been the catalyst for many initiatives over the years, including numbered kerb marking and graffiti removal throughout the local area. Mac still takes responsibility for sorting, folding and counting all 980 newsletters, 10 times per year, every year.

NHW State Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: James Phillips James has been the Area Coordinator of the Happy Valley and Windsor Gardens NHW Areas, and a NHW State Councillor, for many years.

He has also served on the NHW Executive team and as Chair of the Southern District Coordinator’s group. James, along with his wife Debra, showed their commitment to their local community when they resurrected the previously closed O’Halloran Hill NHW Area, and they continue to provide assistance and mentor that group to this day.

Photo: Neighbourhood Watch VASA President Phil Tavender addressing NHW volunteers at the NHW SA AGM.

NHW State Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Debra Phillips Debra is the Secretary of the Happy Valley NHW Area and works with her husband James to run an extremely active and well-regarded group.

Their meetings are always well attended and include entertaining guest speakers. Debra also served as Secretary for the Southern District Coordinator’s Group. Debra and James demonstrated a high level of leadership when they worked to re-open the previously closed O’Halloran Hill NHW Area, which is still going strong.

NHW State Police Certificate of Appreciation: Senior Constable First Class Bruce Lawton Bruce came to the Hope Valley/Highbury NHW Area in 1996 with an interest in NHW and the local community. He was always keen to attend the monthly meetings, even when not on duty. Bruce has stepped up as the group’s Police Coordinator when required, and is currently acting as a mentor for the new Police Coordinator. Bruce has been involved in community policing for more than 23 years and has always shown a genuine interest in NHW and the people in his group.

Photo: Detective Inspector Joanne Barnes speaking to attendees at the event.

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The following awards were also announced: NHW LSA Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Colin Fraser NHW LSA Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Jenny Vonthien NHW LSA Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Stephanie Mooney NHW District Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: James Phillips NHW District Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Debra Phillips NHW District Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation: Gunter (Mac) Vogel NHW District Police Certificate of Appreciation: Constable Kirsty Trento NHW District Police Certificate of Appreciation: SC1C Bruce Lawton We congratulate all the award winners and thank them for their dedication, commitment and service to the NHW program, and to their individual NHW Areas.

Photo: NHW AGM 2019 award winners with Detective Inspector Joanne Barnes, Sergeant Phil Gurr and Phil Tavender.

Safer Internet Day 2020 Neighbourhood Watch was at the forefront of efforts to promote this year’s Safer Internet Day. Held on 11 February each year, Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness about internet safety and the positive role of digital technology, and to explore ways we can all contribute to creating a better, safer internet.

Neighbourhood Watch State Coordinator, Sergeant Phil Gurr believes the first step to a safer internet is to simply start a conversation about potential online risks and ways to avoid them.

“Safer Internet Day provided a great opportunity to talk to your children, family, friends or fellow Neighbourhood Watch members about the role we can all play in creating a safer internet,” he said.

The posts featured photos of Neighbourhood Watch volunteers, along with Sergeant Gurr and Sergeant Rick O’Dea from SA Police’s State Community Engagement Section, holding ‘tips bubbles’ containing safety messages.

Just because Safer Internet Day has been and gone doesn’t mean online safety should be forgotten. You can find out more about the event and how you can keep safe online by visiting www.esafety.gov.au/safer-internet-day You can also access information about cyber safety at www.police.sa.gov.au/safety-and-security-tips

“Safer Internet Day posts on the Neighbourhood Watch Facebook page (and shared on the SA Police page) reached more than 62,300 people, with over 1,000 engagements.”

Photo: Sergeant Phil Gurr and Phil Tavender pose with pledge boards outlining the ways they make the internet a safer place.

Photo: Felixstow Neighbourhood Watch Area Coordinator Nicole Cain and Phil Tavender make their pledges.

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Generous donation not made in ‘vein’

A healthy injection of funds is just what the doctor ordered, with the combined Murray Bridge Neighbourhood Watch Divisional Group recently making a generous donation to the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

The hospital’s Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Sharon Harrison said the group’s financial support allowed the hospital to purchase a vascular transducer (pictured above) – a high-tech piece of equipment that helps to locate a patient’s veins, enabling IV drips to be inserted quickly in emergency situations.

“The vascular transducer has proven to be a valuable acquisition.

Patients who previously had to be conveyed to an Adelaide hospital can now be treated locally, saving time and transportation costs and reducing the inconvenience to the patient,” she said.

The contribution from Murray Bridge Neighbourhood Watch also funded the purchase of 18 lockable bedside cabinets for the storage of each patient’s medication.

“Previously a nurse had to wheel a trolley around the hospital to administer medication which was selected from a wide range of drugs on the trolley,” Ms Harrison said.

“Now with the new lockable cabinets a nurse can simply unlock the patient’s bedside cabinet where their specific medication is stored, which helps to negate the risk of incorrect medications being administered.

“Making patients familiar with their own medication regime empowers them and gives nurses another opportunity to engage with patients and enhance that vital relationship.”

Another positive spin-off is that patients with certain conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, are able to unlock their own cabinet and selfadminister their medication.

“This is important in cases where medication needs to be taken at the exact same time each day,” Ms Harrison said.

Murray Bridge Neighbourhood Watch 288 Area Coordinator Trevor Purdie said the idea of supporting the local hospital came from discussions between members of his group and the nearby Murray Bridge Neighbourhood Watch 040/211 group, run by Area Coordinator Jill Hoffman.

Photo: Sharon Harrison demonstrates the new vascular transducer to Trevor Purdie.

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“The suggestion was strongly supported by both Area Coordinators and members of their respective groups,” he said.

“This donation is a valuable investment that will benefit many people. It highlights the important role that Neighbourhood Watch groups continue to play in local communities.”

Volunteer cleans up with award win Neighbourhood Watch veteran Maurice Wegener has been recognised for his longterm dedication to the community with the prestigious Australia Day Volunteer of the Year Award for the Rural City of Murray Bridge.

The sprightly 84-year-old has been a tireless contributor, spending the past 18 years volunteering with both the local Neighbourhood Watch program and the Rural City of Murray Bridge Council.

Maurice has performed several roles as a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer including traffic marshalling at numerous community events and leading plate safe days where motorists have their vehicle’s number plates re-secured with tamper resistant screws.

More recently he has promoted the health and wellbeing benefits of Neighbourhood Watch at a mental health expo and raised considerable funds to enable Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital to purchase a vascular transducer and lockable bedside cabinets for patients.

In nearly two decades of council volunteering, Maurice has demonstrated innovation and leadership skills in sourcing equipment and designing the council’s graffiti removal trailer.

He leads the graffiti removal team who respond promptly to reports of graffiti. This role alone is particularly praiseworthy because early removal of graffiti has been proven to reduce wider incidents of graffiti marking. Maurice has carefully investigated working practices and policies around graffiti removal, leading to the introduction of safer working practices and policies to enhance volunteer safety. He also trains up and mentors new graffiti removal team members.

Maurice has been instrumental in rolling out the council’s ‘Your Home – Your Castle’ home security program where he installs a variety of home security enhancing items in local households to help the occupants feel safe and secure. And if that wasn’t enough, Maurice has spent 15 years volunteering with the Callington Country Fire Service, 10 years with the Callington hall committee, six years

with the Murraylands Men’s Shed and five years assisting a Murray Bridge carers’ group.

He also set up a Blue Light Program for local youths at Bordertown.

Well done Maurice!

Photo: Maurice pictured with his award, alongside Rural City of Murray Bridge Mayor Brenton Lewis (left) and Member for Hammond, The Hon Adrian Pederick MP.

Caravan and RV security SA Police in partnership with Neighbourhood Watch SA recently produced a new ‘Caravan and Recreational Vehicle Security’ booklet.

Packed full of safety and security advice, the booklet is essential reading for anyone who travels around South Australia in a caravan or RV.

To promote the new booklet, Neighbourhood Watch shared a stand with SA Police at the ‘Let’s Go Caravan and Camping Show’ at the Adelaide Showground, where members gave out booklets and safety and security advice to the masses.

If you missed the show, don’t worry. You can get your copy of the booklet from your local police station, or from caravan parks and tourist information centres throughout South Australia, or download a copy from the SA Police website at www.police.sa.gov.au

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Events calendar Easter long weekend Friday, 10 April 2020 – Monday, 13 April 2020.

Watch on SA Neighbourhood Watch SA Magazine

Anzac Day Saturday, 25 April 2020.

Queen’s Birthday/Volunteer’s Day Monday, 8 June 2020.

Steps for walking safely One in every seven road deaths in South Australia is a pedestrian.

Pedestrians are often regarded as vulnerable road users as they don’t have the same protection around them which a car provides.

All pedestrians can help prevent themselves from being injured on our roads by following some simple tips: • Wear bright or reflective clothing, especially if you are walking at night.

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Remain attentive to other road users and avoid walking in the dark or during bad weather such as rain or fog.

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Always use the footpath if possible. If you must walk on the road, walk facing traffic.

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Use pedestrian crossings and pedestrian refuge islands if present.

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Pay attention to ‘Walk/Don’t Walk’ signals.

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If consuming alcohol, make smart choices – is it safe to walk on the footpath or better to catch public transport?

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Give yourself the most time to cross a pedestrian crossing by waiting for a newly turned green or walk signal.

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Look right, look left and right again before crossing the street, and be on the lookout for turning or reversing vehicles and keep scanning for vehicles as you cross.

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Listen for the engine noises and sounds of reversing vehicles when you’re in a car park or near a driveway.

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If you are walking in a car park make eye contact with the driver before crossing in front of the vehicle.

To remain safe, it’s important that all pedestrians make good choices every time they cross the road.

The SA Police Road Safety Centre is a leader in road safety education, playing a vital role in reducing road trauma by enhancing the awareness, knowledge and skills of all road users through lifelong learning. Further information about the educational opportunities offered by the Road Safety Centre is available at www.police.sa.gov.au/road-safety-centre.

To make a booking for a free presentation contact the Road Safety Centre via email at SAPOL.RoadSafetySection@police.sa.gov.au or by phone on 8207 6923.

Got an event coming up?

Editorial content

If your Neighbourhood Watch Area is planning a large event and want it promoted in this magazine, on the Facebook page or the NHW SA website, just email or call the State Community Engagement Section.

Watch on SA magazine will accept editorial from Neighbourhood Watch volunteers. Contact the State Community Engagement Section to learn more.

State Community Engagement Section SA Police Headquarters 100 Angas Street Adelaide SA 5000 GPO Box 1539 Adelaide SA 5001 Phone: 7322 3298 Email: SAPOLNeighbourhoodWatch@ police.sa.gov.au Facebook: NeighbourhoodWatchSA Website: www.police.sa.gov.au/nhw