Geelong in Facebook trial: ‘Digital eye’ to keep watching

By Cherie Donnellan
NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch’s Geelong branch is embracing the digital age, according to the program’s police liaison officer.
Senior Constable Andrew King said he created a Facebook account and page called Eyewatch Geelong as part of a statewide police initiative to revive the Neighbourhood Watch program.
“The Facebook initiative is only new but we’re already seeing some great results.” Sen Const King said Neighbourhood Watch volunteers were dwindling after former Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland changed the program’s structure two years ago.
“The program took a body blow because many volunteers were resistant to the changes,” Sen Const King said.
“We lost about 50 per cent of the volunteer base in larger areas and about 50 per cent within the smaller areas too.”
Former Commissioner Overland ordered Neighbourhood Watch groups to align with police service areas, effectively merging the branches.
Sen Const King said volunteers resisted the changes, fearing reduced services to their communities.
He said the former program was “outdated” because many statistics discussed at monthly meetings were up to five weeks old, making them “more of just a gossip point”.
But the Facebook page allowed him to give Neighbourhood Watch members “virtually-right-this-very-second information”, he said.
The new technology made Neighbourhood Watch “highly proactive”.
“We post things like current crime information and good news stories to keep the community informed,” Sen Const King said.
“The way we see it, our 350 plus Facebook friends are like 350 volunteers who are constantly aware of what’s going on in their neighbourhoods.”
Sen Const King said social media was the way forward for Neighbourhood Watch programs.
Twitter accounts and texting services were next, he said.
“I think if we interact with younger generations in a medium they use, they will become more passionate about it.”
Sen Const King said the Geelong-based social media initiative was one of five in the Victorian pilot program.