RESIDENTS are being urged to get involved in making their community a safer place during national Neighbourhood Watch and Home WatchHome Watch week.

There are a number of events taking place across Dorset that have been organised by neighbourhood and home watchgroups until Sunday, June 23.

As part of the 30th anniversary of Home and Neighbourhood Watch in Dorset, people will have the chance to get involved with their local communities and find out more about what the projects do.

The community groups keep their areas informed about what’s going on, pass on messages about incidents from the police and also provide the police with information if they hear of crimes or incidents in their communities.

Chairman of the Sutton Poyntz Home Watch, Peter Jones, said that the scheme was about educating the communities about crime and possible threats to the community.

He said: “It’s about community cohesion and helping people in the area to be aware of their own security and influences of crime.”

He added: “It’s a two-way thing.

“The community can contact the police with anything they are suspicious about and feel the police should know.”

Mr Jones urged people to find out more about the groups and join a local one.

Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said the schemes Home Watchwere fantastic ways for the community to bond together and helped to keep Dorset safe.

He said: “I am humbled by how some of the Dorset Watches integrate communities and involve the public with policing.”

Weymouth and Portland Inspector Les Fry, pictured left, said that the schemes were key to Dorset Police helping to keep communities safe.

“Home Watch enables us to keep the residents of our area in touch with what is going on in their area and also allows them the method of feeding issues back to Dorset Police,” he said.

“Who knows the community in which they live better than they do. No one I would suggest. They know who drives which car and who often visits neighbours.

“This also means that any unusual cars or visitors are going to stick out like a sore thumb and police will get a call to check someone out.”

Insp Fry added that he was very grateful to all the members of the schemes and thanked them for their time and commitment.

For events visit dorset.police.uk and find your nearest home watch scheme at ourwatch.org.uk and enter your postcode.