Cops back on watch

PAKENHAM Police want to revive the Neighbourhood Watch program and are holding a meeting on Thursday 26 May as the first step.
Organised by Senior Sergeant Graham Higginbotham, the meeting at the Pakenham Police Station, 780 Princes Highway, starts at 7pm.
The topic will be Safer Communities Group Cardinia (SCGC) – an official Neighbourhood Watch group set up 12 months ago and consisting of representatives from the police, existing neighbourhood watch groups, business/township groups and the council.
Kathy Burgstahler, chairwoman of the Lakeside Community Development Forum (LCDF), said that the group was well received by Lakeside residents.
“The residents were really rapt with the Safer Communities Group,” she said. “They think it’s a fantastic idea because … they have a direct line of communication with the police.”
Thursday’s meeting is open to the public and comes after the state budget allocated $550,000 to revitalising and strengthening Neighbourhood Watch Groups so that local communities can “regain control of their streets”.