Residents associations need to revive Neighbourhood Watch schemes in order to counteract anti-social behaviour and foster a stronger sense of community.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil councillor Ollie Crowe, who said that residents in Bohermore, Prospect Hill, and Woodquay areas have reported a pattern of “late-night bullying” to the Gardaí.
“They have endured broken windows, their doors kicked, and noise pollution all in the name of what another calls a ‘night out’,” he said. “This is not socialising as we know it, it is simply anti-social!”
Cllr Crowe feels that a community alert scheme such as Neighbourhood Watch encourages community participation, nurtures respect for public property, and ultimately cultivates better engagement across all community groups.
“I am calling on communities to be proactive,” he said, “and resident associations should kick-start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.”
Cllr Crowe said such schemes would “instil a level of safety in our area”.
“I am calling on the people of Galway to go back to basics and look at community schemes such as Neighbourhood Watch,” he said. “There was a time when we looked out for one another, when the young were mindful not to frighten the elderly late at night, or when we questioned anti-social behaviour.”
