In mid-November, a group of youths from the Gaibodubu Street of the Tokarara suburb in Port Moresby city launched the Neighborhood Watch initiative to keep an eye on things this festive season.
The initiative aims to reduce crime and protect their neighborhood during the festive season, a time when crime rates tend to rise.
The Neighborhood Watch Boys have organized themselves into two shifts, with one group watching over the community during daytime and the second shift patrolling throughout the night hours. Their focus areas include Tokarara Market, the main bus stop at Tokarara, and Tokarara Secondary School.
The initiative has gained strong support from the local community, with residents contributing small funds to provide coffee and food to sustain the boys during their operations. The police have also shown their support, adding to the initiative’s effectiveness.
Over the past two weeks, the Neighborhood Watch Boys have already had a noticeable impact. Crimes, such as theft, have significantly decreased in the area, and they successfully intervened in a recent incident by recovering a stolen phone, further demonstrating their commitment to community safety.
And now the bus stop and surrounding areas now feel significantly safer, thanks to their efforts.
During the interview with PNG HAUSBUNG, the Neighborhood Boys made a call-out to young men across the city, urging them to take up similar initiatives in their own suburbs to protect their communities and residential areas.
One of the boys stated, “We are calling on others to join us in this effort to reduce crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
The Neighborhood Watch Boys plan to continue their operations throughout the festive season and into January 2025, emphasizing their unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of Tokarara residents.