Saturday August 18, 2012

Safe Home-Balik Kampung Campaign has proven to be effective

Fighting Crime
Stories by EDWARD R. HENRY
edward@thestar.com.my

SELANGOR police have embarked on the “Safe Home-Balik Kampung Campaign”, aimed at preventing break-ins during the festive period. The move was well received, making it easier for the police to strategise patrols.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said the campaign has helped prevent break-ins and proven to be effective in keeping bad hats from going into homes where the occupants had gone for vacation.

“Majority of families — Muslims and non-Muslims are taking opportunity of the long Hari Raya festive holidays to return to their respective hometowns and going overseas. They have made the effort to inform the nearest police stationin their neighbourhood,” he told StarMetro.

Over the coming weeks, officers will increase patrols in vulnerable areas and target areas known for snatch thefts. - DCP Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah

DCP Tun Hisan added that information provided in the “Safe Home” form, allows the police to plan, strategise and craft out an efficient patroling of the areas.

“Our objective of the “Safe Home” campaign is to ensure all neighbourhoods in Selangor are safe and to keep our crime index down. Policemen in patrol cars have been told to stop at certain points in time to note for suspicious movements.

“Over the coming weeks, officers will increase patrols in vulnerable areas and will target areas known for snatch thefts,” said DCP Tun Hisan.

He added that the task to ensure the safety of the houses should not only rest with the police alone but the owners of the homes must take the initiative like turning on one light at the back portion of the house.

“One light must be kept on as any home can be a potential target for thieves. Apart from that, residents must secure their windows and doors. Stop the newspaper deliveries, as newspapers in a car porch is a sure sign no one is at home and get a neighbour to collect the mail, ” he said.

DCP Tun Hisan urged neighbours who spot suspicious characters in their neighbourhood to call the police, “as we need a collective effort to curb crime”.

In the “Safe Home” campaign application form, residents are required to fill in the names and contact numbers.

Other than that, the date of departure and return must be stated together with the registration number of vehicles left in the car porch or parked outside the house.

He said this would help the policemen on patrol to spot intruders in absence of the residents.

DCP Tun Hisan added that the police had enough personnel to monitor the houses as the patrols will be divided according to zones.

“The police patrol personnel will monitor the homes and submit reports in point form on a daily basis.

“We know this approach is successful each time people return to their hometowns and we want to allay such fears to enable people to relax and enjoy their holidays,” he said.