The Neighbourhood Watch Victoria is a community-run non-for-profit organisation which aims to connect people to their neighbours and to prevent crime within local communities. The organisation has been around since 1983, has 4,500 volunteers, and more than 200 physical and online neighbourhood watch groups. But these days Neighbourhood Watch isn’t the only way communities are keeping up to date with events to keep themselves safe. As residential crime rates continue to rise in suburbs like Taylors Lakes, communities have turned to self-made Facebook groups to stay informed. These online communities can have their benefits, but they can also create dangers when it comes to sharing information about crime.

One such group is the Taylors Lakes Community Watch Facebook group, which has over 7,000 members from the local community, including Pauline Syamanond who has been a member for about seven years. Syamanond has lived in Taylors Lakes for 14 years with her kids and husband.

“I’m a bit of a sticky beak, I like to know what’s going on, it’s just nice to know what’s happening in the area so that you can stay up to date with it,” she tells upstart. “Also, to see what the council or the politicians are doing about it when it comes to important matters like crime.”

 Syamanond says she has become more aware of crime since joining the neighbourhood watch group.

“There’s probably more crime, but that’s probably because I know about it now because it’s on the page,” she says.

“But it seems to be everywhere. It’s certainly increased. There’s certainly a lot more break-ins.”

Community groups like these often warn the community about crime. Recently a member of the Taylors Lakes community posted security camera footage of people attempting to break into their vehicles. It gained a lot of attention on the sight and helped to alert others. However, although Facebook groups can be useful, it can also be damaging. People often post unreliable word of mouth information or personal perceptions about what they see. Especially when it comes to criminal activity.

 In fact, Nicoll Peschek, a member services manager from Neighbourhood Watch Victoria, says she warns people away from posting about crime on these smaller pages as they can sometimes do more harm than good.

“It shouldn’t be a free for all, we should really be careful with what we’re posting online so we encourage our official neighbourhood watch groups to do that,” she tells upstart.

“It can jeopardise police investigations as well, so nowadays we operate with full support of police and we work together, so we tend to check with the police before we post anything that might lead to a defamation case, which has happened before,” she says.

Official Neighbourhood Watch groups have access to police and services. Its website has links for everything from crime statistics in your area to ways you can learn how to protect you and your family. Neighbourhood Watch Victoria official sites have seen a “26 percent reduction in crime” in areas which have a neighbourhood watch group compared to areas that don’t.

Peschek says that everything said and done within the group is done properly, keeping all involved in mind, while still providing residents with the best help they can receive. She says that sometimes private groups deliver a message that is contrary to what people should be doing to keep themselves and their homes as safe as possible.

 “If people think that’s it’s actually official advice from Neighbourhood Watch, that can really steer the community in the wrong direction,” she says.

Despite the disadvantages of these community Facebook groups, Peschek says they can have benefits as people tend to look toward their own neighbourhood for help and guidance.

“When you know your neighbour and you have regular contact with your neighbour, you feel better,” she says.

Syamanond says what she has posted or commented on are little things like personal objects found on the ground or lost pet signs.

“Lots of lost animals and pets and things found,” she said. “So, it’s all different, it’s a bit entertaining at times, sometimes they post like pictures of someone’s keys on the ground.”

For all their benefits and challenges keeping up to date with what’s going on in your community is essential. Peschek says everyone should become a member of their official Neighbourhood Watch if there’s one in the area.

“Neighbourhood Watch is all about people caring for other people in the community” she said. “Part of crime prevention is getting to know your neighbours.”

Article: Ella Zammit is a second-year Bachelor of Media and Communications (Journalism) student at La Trobe University. You can follow her on Twitter @EllaJZammit.

Photo: Neighbourhood Watch by Tim Malone is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons License. This image has not been modified.