Llangwm Home:Llangwm & Gaer Fawr Neighbourhood Watch

Method of Operation

Our Neighbourhood Watch scheme covers only Llangwm and Gaer Fawr, but includes a few outlying residences which, although strictly outside the official area, are very much within the community.
Eighty-nine households joined the scheme, 95% of those approached. We have "Neighbourhood Watch" signs positioned by the roadside of every road as it enters the area, and smaller Watch signs alongside every "Llangwm " village highway roadsign.
Although our scheme involves only a small number of households compared with watches in urban areas, our area is widespread geographically, making communication difficult. However, most members know each other, at least by sight, and are certainly aware of any strangers - people or vehicles - entering the area.

When it was started in October 1992, it took much discussion by the elected steering committee to decide how the scheme should operate. The method that was evolved is clearly only applicable in a location such as ours.

Our Neighbourhood Watch area is divided into four local areas, each with a local co-ordinator. One of these is the central co-ordinator, who at present is Mike Foster, on 01291 650274.

When a household joins, they are given a Joining Pack which consists of:-

Four Neighbourhood Watch window stickers
Two Incident report cards
One police leaflet
The Key List - details of the Co-ordinators and Steering Committee Members.
A list of all the members in your area
The method of incident reporting should you witness a suspicious occurrence.

This method is as follows:-

  1. If a member witnesses an obvious Crime:-
    a) Telephone Police Emergency 999, then the local co-ordinator, who will ring the other co-ordinators.
    b) Note down the details on an incident report card provided.
  2. If a member witnesses a suspicious incident:-
    a) Telephone the local co-ordinator who will again ring the other co-ordinators. If not available, ring the central co-ordinator.
    b) Each house has a Neighbourhood Watch Property Number. Telephone the next Neighbourhood Watch numbers on either side of the originator's number.
    c) If the adjacent Neighbourhood Watch numbers are unobtainable, ring the next but one, and so on.
    d) Note down the details on the incident report card provided.
  3. If a member receives such a call:-
    Telephone the next Neighbourhood Watch Property Number.

In this way a chain will be formed in each of the four area divisions so that everyone quickly becomes aware of the incident.