The City of Cape Town is extending its assistance to neighbourhood watches (NWs) by developing a mobile app to assist in their efforts to improve community safety.
The city is calling for input from NWs for the development of the app, saying it sees the app as tool to increase efficiency, access to services and promote communication between NWs and the city.
In a statement, the city reveals it provides support, training and equipment to NWs through the Neighbourhood Watch Support Programme established in 2008.
The joint initiative between the city and the Western Cape Department of Community Safety aims to formalise and strengthen NWs, says the city, adding that it has recently invested R3 million in the 2020/21 financial year for training and equipment which will benefit NWs.
With the press of a button, organisations will be able to access services, share information and promote networking with enforcement agencies in the spirit of improving community safety, it says.
“The city commends and supports the great work being done by neighbourhood watches throughout the metropole,” states alderman JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security. “They are an important link between our enforcement agencies and the community. Members of NWs do duty on a voluntary basis in their communities and they need all the support they can get, which the city is committed to providing.”
To get an understanding of the needs and best practice being used by neighbourhood watches, the city notes it is busy with an online survey where NWs are invited to submit proposals and comment on their needs for the development of the NW app.
The information will be considered and where possible, implemented in the development of the app.
“The mobile app, once operational, will assist NWs to manage community operations and communicate with other role-players. The application can also be used to access specific city services.
“During the development process, various operational imperatives have already been addressed and will add value to the voluntary work being done by NWs.”
According to the city, some of the issues addressed in the development process include assistance with the accreditation process and disaster risk management activities; access to information-sharing, including crime patterns; access to by-laws and legal framework information; managing and distribution of equipment requests for NW members; managing of training requests from both the Western Cape Department of Community Safety and the city; and possible provision of alerts, including general alerts such as protest action, local alerts such as motor vehicle accidents, missing children alerts, etc.
In addition, NWs will be able to create general city service notification requests and incidents directly from the mobile app, which will automatically trigger a reference number.
The app can also be used as an administrative tool, where members will be able to manage shift patrols, duty rosters and time schedules.
“Neighbourhood watches best understand the needs of their respective communities and it is important that we build on our relationship and support one another in these challenging times.
“Neighbourhood watches have an important crime prevention function and we will continue to provide support and training to them. Once the app is approved and operational, it will be put to good use and will increase our interaction and accessibility of crime prevention services,” adds Smith.
To accommodate as many comments and proposals as possible, the city requests residents to fill out a survey via this link before 3 September.
Share