SURVIVAL OF OBSWATCH (ONW) Thank you for raising this important issue James,
As I remember it the ONW was established after a spate of crime worried most residents, hot spots were around Scott Road and Oxford Road, the latter led to a "ADT Bicycle Patrol". Active and concerned residents and ONW member like yourself, Dave Raphael, Rob Gaylard, Kris Marais and many more led to the formation of the Obsid and Obsid Public Safety (Ops) paid through a top up rate some 5 years ago. ONW activism played a huge role in the ONW, Obsid, Obs Community Police Sub-Forum and other structures, to reduce crime. It seems that a "false" sense of security resulted in a nearly total lack of residential support and involvement in Obs structures today and this is possibly reason of a perception of crime increase in our area. I feel strongly that the community and ONW has a vital role to play in security and oversight of our Obsid. The radio network was put up at great effort and cost should not die, it could possibly be more widely used between security role players. Interlinked WhatsApp Street Alert groups and willing residents If Observatory let the ONW be put to rest the price can be enormous "crime increase", and reinventing it is a long tedious process. On 6 February 2015 at 15:04, James Cowley <jamesobs...@gmail.com> wrote: > Please can you let me know how ONW works and what is needed from me? Is > it a monthly payment that goes to you? > > In a nut shell - The ONW was established around 2008 and operated with its > own radio network which was sponsored by different business companies and > individuals, patrol bibs were sponsored by ADT. Community members and > business joined the ONW and performed the core activities which comprised > of active radio reporting and communications with those who had private > radios or ONW loaned radios, all linked with the SAPS and the subsequently, > with the OBSID security provider. Resident volunteers carried our > organised patrols per a monthly schedule provided them or did impromptu > patrols on foot, car scooters or bicycles by day or night. We are the eyes > and ears of the community either via patrols or via the ONW Google crime > reporting site and communicate that to the police and local security > agents. We consider placing a foot outside our front doors or gates as > being on 'a patrol' thus we see crime or suspects, report it, retreat and > observe the situation and keep 'hands-off' unless a life is threatened or > as a last resort. Membership is free upon completion of a form by > residents or businesses, its run by an ONW Committee with monthly meetings > to be held and has a website. Financial support for annual radio frequency > fee is often supported by the OBSID, OCA, donations, or will be sought from > the DOCS or the Councillors.The ONW has been dormant for two years and > unless it is 'resurrected' it will formally be 'put to rest' and be the end > of the Observatory story. > > Kind regards > James > > -- > OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room > ---------------------------------------------- > 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 > > For all emergencies please dial 10111 > > ---------------------------------------------- > ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: o...@obz.org.za > WEB: www.obswatch.org.za > ---------------------------------------------- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send > email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send > email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this > group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room ---------------------------------------------- 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 For all emergencies please dial 10111 ---------------------------------------------- ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: o...@obz.org.za WEB: www.obswatch.org.za ---------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
