HOME security will be the focus of a regional safety community campaign launched in Bathurst on Friday.
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The Bathurst Regional Community Safety Committee was last month awarded a NSW Crime Prevention Grant of almost $40,000 to develop a residential break and enter campaign to remind residents to secure their homes and report suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood.
The campaign will consist of workshops, TV, radio and newspaper advertising, social media posts, and information stalls over the coming months.
Funding for the program was announced by the Attorney General, Mark Speakman in October.
Mr Speakman said the campaign will empower some of the most vulnerable members of our society to safeguard their homes against theft.
Through the program Bathurst Regional Council will partner with the NSW Police Force Chifley Police District to deliver safety workshops for older people in hotspot areas.
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ian North, was at the launch of the program on Friday and said the strategy aims to reduce opportunistic crime with a multi-media awareness campaign.
He said it will educate community members about how they can protect their homes from theft, and encourage neighbours to watch out for each other.
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Cr North said the Community Safety Committee work very closely with police, and the hope is the program will be a proactive way to deal with break and enters in the community. He said council have a great relationship with police which "will make the program work in the real world."
Cr Jacqui Rudge, who chairs the safety committee said it was timely the program was being launched just as the Christmas holidays are about to begin.
She said with borders re-opening, many people are taking the opportunity to get away and it was a great time to be reminding home owners to be more aware of not only their home security, but also look out for suspicious activity in their street, and importantly speak up if they see something amiss.
"If you see something suspicious, tell someone."
Cr Rudge said with many break and enters crimes of opportunity, and with crime statistics for the city on the increase, no one can be complacent when it comes to home security.
