Block Watch Society of British Columbia

The main effort of the Block Watch is to partner with the community to build safer neighbourhoods through education in an effort to reduce the opportunity for property offences.

The goal of the program is to encourage residents to take more of a pro-active approach to crime prevention and safety within their individual neighbourhoods and blocks. Residents become part of the solution, which empowers people not only to become the eyes and ears of their block, but to become the heart of their community.

The Block Watch Program at the Saanich Police Department, operates under the mandate of the Block Watch Society of British Columbia (BWSBC), a non-profit society and administrator to Block Watch Programs throughout British Columbia. As members, the Saanich Police Block Watch program shall uphold the Block Watch Society of British Columbia's constitution & By- Laws, and comply with the rules & regulations, as set out from time to time, in the BWSBC Operational Manual, Policies & Procedures. Flexibility is provided to individual programs to develop initiatives, within the rules of the Society, to best serve individual communities. For instance some groups have volunteer Area Coordinators, as does Saanich, to support the operations of the program.

Saanich Police Block Watch Program

Block Watch is a free program offered to residents within the Municipality of Saanich by the Saanich Police Department and supported by various Businesses and Community Associations in an effort to build safer communities throughout the Municipality of Saanich. By having a unified commitment, participating communities can be proactive in promoting safety for themselves, their families, and their neighbours.

Program delivery is directed by the Saanich Police Department, as administrators of the Saanich Block Watch program. Under the supervision and direction of the Saanich Police Department, community members volunteer to support the Block Watch program. This includes the voluntary participation of individual homes, Block Captains and Co-Captains' delivery of the Block Watch program at the neighbourhood level, and Volunteer Area Coordinators responsible for the delivery of the Block Watch program for their specific area. See the volunteer task descriptions for details regarding these positions. As part of their tasks, Area Coordinators are required to attend regular meetings to discuss the Block Watch program delivery.

Area Coordinator Meetings

Purpose

The purpose of the Block Watch Area Coordinators Meeting is to provide a forum for the following:

• Voice ideas;
• Share information;
• Discuss direction of the Block Watch program with the Saanich Police
  Department; and
• Allow the Saanich Police Department to provide direction and information to volunteer Area Coordinators.

Meetings

Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of Jan, Mar, May, Sep and Nov at 7:00 p.m. in the Kirby Room, at the SPD. Membership will consist of appointed volunteer Area Coordinator representatives.

Objective

To improve communication within the Block Watch Program at all levels.

Duties

• To initiate the promotion and delivery of the Block Watch Program, as laid out in the volunteer task description;
  
• Liaise between Block Watch coordinators and Saanich Police representatives;
  
• Assist in maintenance of the Block Watch program;
  
• Submit agenda ideas to the Block Watch Office for Coordinators meeting;
  
• Identify areas of concern to Saanich Police Block Watch representatives, then working under the direction of the Saanich Police Block Watch Office seek possible resolution;
  
• Act in a manner so that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest between personal interests and those of the Block Watch program; and
  
• Ensure that Block Watch participation is not used as a vehicle for promotion for any other cause. Personal information, lists and data are to be treated with confidentiality. Dissemination of information is exclusive to the purposes of the Block Watch program and will not be shared for any other purpose.

BLOCK WATCH
CREATING SAFE COMMUNITIES
"One Block at a Time"