Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Apex (Sep 26/05) - Residents of Apex are looking at keeping an eye out for each other.

In an attempt to combat high property crime numbers, eight adults and 15 children came out to a meeting earlier this month to discuss the benefits of starting up a neighbourhood watch program .

This is the third time in three years efforts have been made to pull together a resident-driven crime prevention program.

The group listened to presentations by RCMP Cpl. Mike Salomonie and Edmonton's former watch president Bernice Neufeld.

Salomonie said that from January to September of this year police opened nearly 150 files involving Apex, a community of 99 households.

The file count includes 78 mischief under $5,000; 35 causes of disturbance; 19 assaults; eight residential break and enters and one business break and enter.

"What we need is enough people to put the message out that we do care and we want this to change," said Salomonie.

Pointing to a shattered window in the Obe Akpik Community Hall, Salomonie described the "broken window theory" that crime is a result of disorder.

If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people will conclude no one cares and no one is in charge.

"And they might wonder why they shouldn't do it themselves."

The idea of the program is to train residents to watch out for each other and report crime and threats to the police whenever they occur, thus reducing occurrence of crime.

John Graham said that every year a tent belonging to the kids in Apex is stolen.

When that happens "it feels like you're being used," said Graham.

"And disrespected," added another audience member.

When asked who in the audience has had their bike stolen, all 15 children raised their hands.

Although the support is apparent, past attempts to get this program off the ground have failed.

The past two attempts began with a large group of enthusiastic participants that quickly dwindled to two or three people doing all the work, said Ed Picco, cabinet minister and previous neighbourhood watch participant.

Residents seemed convinced of the benefits and expressed a want for change as five people have already signed up for the program.

Another meeting is scheduled for next month.

If the latest neighbourhood watch launch succeeds, it will be the first program of its kind in Nunavut.