o KEEPING AN EYE ON CRIME: Narromine Police Sergeant Darren Wilkins is thrilled with the success of Narromine Eyewatch.
Narromine Eyewatch has proved to be a great success since commencing late last year, enabling police to solve crimes committed in the area and establish a positive relationship with the community.
Project Eyewatch is a world-first program which uses social media, Facebook in this instance, to bring the 30-year-old Neighbourhood Watch program into the 21st century, while driving down crime in the process.
“It has been a great success in Narromine,” local police sergeant Darren Wilkins said.
“From what I understand it is one of the more successful groups in terms of members and activity on the site.”
One of the latest incidents solved by police was due to information relayed through Narromine Eyewatch.
According to Sergeant Wilkins, shortly after 10pm on Monday June 25, local police attended the Narromine Wetlands Reserve in response to a traffic complaint received on Eyewatch.
“As police approached, the lights of a vehicle doing donuts inside the reserve could be seen,” Sergeant Wilkins said.
“Police stopped the vehicle occupied by three young people as it was attempting to leave the reserve.”
As a result, a 22-year-old Parkes man was spoken to by police and issued with a $530 infringement notice for burnout.
“Any activity like this is just not acceptable and places everyone - public, drivers and passengers - in serious danger, not to mention destroys the hard work put in by those that maintain the reserve for everyone to enjoy,” Sergeant Wilkins said.
“Well done Eyewatch members.”
With successful cases like this one, Sergeant Wilkins is encouraging more members from the community to get involved with the Eyewatch program.
“We want to urge more people to get involved because the more people that are on there, the more information can be exchanged and it is a great tool to give members direct access to the commander, Superintendent Stan Single, and crime manager Rod Blackman,” he
said.
“We have nearly 120 members on the site now so we’re like a big online community which is fantastic, the response from the community has been so positive.”
Despite the advantages Eyewatch offers, Sergeant Wilkins is reminding the community in cases of emergencies or when police presence is required immediately, to phone the station or triple zero.
“Members need to be aware that not all police have access to Eyewatch and it is not monitored 24/7, so any information about offences taking place should be relayed to police immediately by telephone,” Sergeant Wilkins said.
