Nicosia: The Police has managed to significantly reduce crime by 40% (28% in the last three years) in the last six years that the Neighborhood Observer institution has been implemented. At the same time, 89% now feel quite, very, very safe in the area where they live.
This was demonstrated by a survey by Cypronetwork Marketing Research Ltd (CMRC) and the Police Headquarters Crime Prevention Bureau, which is being conducted for the first time, and involves an assessment of the neighborhood observer institution. Today the observers amount to 78.850 and cover 166 municipalities and communities of free Cyprus.
According to data presented by the head of the Office of Crime Prevention, Petros Pattouras, in 2011, when the institution of the Neighborhood Observer began to be applied, the cases of serious crime amounted to 8.426 in Cyprus, in 2012 to 7.973, in 2013 to 7.089, 2014 at 6.775, in 2015 at 5.912 and in 2016 at 5.094. In addition, minor offense cases in Cyprus amounted to 2011 in 7.266, 6.515 in 2012, 5.282 in 2013, 4.978 in 2014, 4.089 in 2015 and 3.820 in 2016.
In his speech, Police Chief Zacharias Chrysostomou said that the Police, together with the National Guard, collect the most positive assessments from the public, compared to other public sector services, but also in relation to the statistics of previous years. The percentage of those who feel little or not at all amounts to 9%, compared to a percentage of 13% in 2015 and 20% in 2011.
Also, according to Mr. Chrysostomou, there is an increase in the sense of trust, meritocracy and the relations of the Police with the public, parameters that are very high in the priorities set by the leadership of the House, as he said. "Today we count 75.850 observers in 166 municipalities and communities of free Cyprus, compared to just 13.000 observers in 54 municipalities and communities in 2013, occupying, by proportion of population, one of the top positions in the world."
According to the Chief of Police, there is an increase in the degree of public satisfaction with the Police, as 3,2 in 2011 rose to 3,6 in 2016. "The sense of trust that inspires the Police, but also the relationships that have developed "With the public are also these parameters that show an increasing trend, always compared to statistics of 2011. And I focus on the year 2011, as the economic crisis did not, during this period, hit our island," said Mr. Chrysostom.
It is noted that the institution of the Neighborhood Observer started operating in 2011 in the Municipality of Idali. This year their number rose to 1.000. In 2012 they reached 4.000, in 2013 13.000, in 2014 44.500, in 2015 62.000 and in 2016 72.500.
To local prevention councils
In his speech during the presentation of the investigation, the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Ionas Nikolaou, stated that the gradual increase of Neighborhood Observers and the response of more and more municipalities and communities to participate in the informative lectures organized by the Office of Crime Prevention Police for the institution and its action, demonstrate the correctness of the government decision to enhance the active action of the citizen in community policing.
He also stressed that the government is working systematically to develop measures and practices that have been successfully tested, such as the institution of Community Policing, so that they offer an even higher level of security in our country and that "our goal is to create those conditions that will upgrade the role of the Community Police and will further strengthen the relations of the Police with all the local authorities, the organized bodies, the local community, each neighborhood, with the citizen of all ages ".
Also, as he mentioned, the next step should be the extension of the action and the intervening role of the institution of the Community Police, with the establishment and operation of local Councils for the Prevention of Crime. In this way, he concluded, a multidimensional action will be developed in the standards of other developed countries, which will include both the prevention and solution of juvenile delinquency problems, as well as the commitment of continuous and evolving participation of each municipality and community.
Source: philenews