THE introduction of Police Community Support Officers – or PCSOs as most people know them – and the rise of community policing has, for most law-abiding citizens, been a welcome development in recent years.

Only a few years ago, frustrated members of the public used to call for the return of the Dixon of Dock Green-style beat bobby, only to be told by police that such days were unlikely to return, given the more complex nature of policing today, with criminals able to move further and faster to find their victims.

Today, the knowledge that a knowledgeable local officer, even one without the same powers as a PC, could be just around the next corner, has contributed to the reassurance of the community, and made life decidedly more difficult for the criminals. There are far more police eyes out and about on the streets than there were. And when the PCs and PCSOs themselves are not about, there is still the watchful eye of the community itself.

Neighbourhood Watch has become such an accepted fact of society that it is hard to believe the scheme only came to West Yorkshire 25 years ago, and not long before that, it was an imported and somewhat novel idea from the United States.

Being in a Neighbourhood Watch does not require upstanding members of the local community to dig out their pitchfork and spend the odd night out guarding their street against would-be burglars and car registration plate thieves. The scheme does provide important back-up to the police in their crime-fighting work, though. The initiative makes it possible for police to quickly and easily alert local co-ordinators of suspicious activity in the area, and provides a useful system for vigilant residents to sound the alarm about suspicious goings-on to the police, potentially putting a stop to the intended crime.

Trying to involving everyone in the area in Neighbourhood Watch may sound ambitious, but already there are many streets and neighbourhoods signed up, and encouragement for more to follow.

The crime rate in this area is very low in comparison to come areas not too far away, but with the community making an effort to stand together, it could be lower still.