Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts, 36th Storey, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963. Tel: 3757794/5
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SPEECH BY MR WONG KAN SENG, MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE PILOT NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ZONE IN BISHAN EAST ZONE '1' RC, ON 27 APRIL 1997 AT 10.00AM AT BLK 112 BISHAN STREET 12
Crime rates in Singapore have consistently fallen over the past eight years. This has been possible because of strong community support for the Police. To ensure that it continues to benefit from such support, the Police recently commissioned a survey in order to understand better the public's perception of them and the public's concerns.
The findings are encouraging. Out of 1,299 respondents who were interviewed, more than 95 percent felt that on the whole, the Police - the NPPs, police stations and Traffic Police - have met their expectations. More than 97 percent felt that the general sense of security of Singapore was good. Overall, the public hold a positive view of how the Police have discharged its duties. However, the survey also noted that public expectations were rising, with many advocating wider roles for the Police. The Police are reviewing its functions and operations in the light of these findings, since they mirror the public's concerns and perceptions which are critical to the success of community policing, including the Neighbourhood Watch Zones.
When I announced the Neighbourhood Watch Zone (NWZ) Scheme in November last year, I said that it would give residents greater participation and a bigger stake in ensuring security in the community. The Neighbourhood Watch Zone is one of several initiatives that the MHA is introducing in order to make Singapore our Best Home. Singaporeans already live in one of the safest countries in the world. Neighbourhood Watch Zones will build upon this strength.
Neighbourhood Watch Zones will be led by the Residents' Committees. An RC member will be designated the Zone liaison officer. He will be assisted by block representatives. The Zone liaison officer and his or her assistants will work with local NPP officers to formulate and implement crime prevention activities and programmes in their community. The scheme will motivate residents to contribute towards making their neighbourhoods a better place to live in and to build a strong community spirit in every precinct in Singapore. It will offer the public a vehicle through which civic-minded citizens can make a contribution to building a better community for themselves.
What I have described so far are merely formal structures. In themselves, they cannot make a real difference to the communities we live in. What counts is whether the schemes and structures succeed in making life better for the community, whether residents feel safer, and whether they have a sense of belonging to their community. If the answers are "yes" , then we would have succeeded.
In order for this to happen, it is important that each RC, NWZ and NPP recognises that the communities you serve are unique. None of them is exactly like the other. There is therefore no simple formula for success. Your challenge is to work closely with each other, to develop solutions that meet the specific safety and security concerns of your community. In some communities, this may mean taking simple measures like getting to know the residents, and helping to keep an eye on their premises when they are away. In more established communities, NWZs can do more. They can help to resolve minor disputes between neighbours, provide a listening ear to youths in their neighbourhood, or give emotional support to their neighbours should they fall victim to crime.
The 25 NWZs that will be launched today were chosen because their RCs have shown a keen interest in pioneering this scheme. It is my hope that you will set high standards of performance to serve as a model for the future NWZs to follow. I urge all RCs, NWZs and NPPs to set goals for the communities they serve, and to work towards realising those goals. If you are able to achieve all of them, then I am sure that we can all look forward to many more years of low crime rates.