NASSAU, The Bahamas --- Forty-seven residents from the Centreville/Farm Road Community have hit the road running as volunteers with the Centreville (Farm Road) Urban Renewal Project Office.  

The volunteers, who made their first rounds late last week, have received training in a number of critical areas such as conflict resolution and domestic violence matters, which Police officials at the Centreville (Farm Road) Urban Renewal Project Office say should go a long way in helping to reduce incidences of domestic violence and crime in the area.  

“We are so happy that the persons from this community, and indeed other communities comprising the many urban renewal centres throughout New Providence and the Family Islands, have come forward and joined hands with the police in terms of being their neighbours keepers,” said Sergeant Lisa Pratt, Second-in-Command of the Centreville Urban Renewal Project Office.  

“These volunteers will be vital to the success of this programme as they will be additional eyes and ears and feet on the ground because the police cannot do it alone. The community must get involved in this process and these volunteers represent a great start in that regard,” Sergeant Pratt added.  

Sergeant Pratt said Police Officials were “excited” to have the “volunteer force” working at their side.  

“There is no doubt that the police and the community must work in tandem to restore our communities,” Sergeant Pratt said. “These people are residents of this community. They live side-by-side every day with each other and so they know or are familiar with each other.  

“Volunteerism is all about giving back to this country and community and bringing back that sense of community responsibility that once existed,” Sergeant Pratt added.  

The volunteers will work hand-in-hand with the police, moving door-to-door with them, walking the streets on a regular basis and “letting their presence be felt, even though they are not police officers.”  

While police officials expect the volunteers to assist whenever and wherever they can, Sergeant Pratt said they have been “pleasantly surprised by the interest shown thus far.”  

“They are excited to do this,” she said. “We expect most of them to volunteer whenever they can but most volunteer five days a week hoping to see a reduction in crime in their community.  

“Neighbours too are excited to see their neighbours working along with the police. We are getting to know the neighbours one-on-one, becoming their personal police, and the benefits of this collaboration, of this partnership between police and the community, should be a safer community for all who live, work, play and visit there,” Sergeant Pratt added.

Photo: Volunteers from the Centreville/Farm Road Urban Renewal Project Office visit with an elderly resident during a recent walkabout in the community. Forty-seven residents have so far volunteered to work hand-in-hand with Police Officers attached to the Centreville Urban Renewal Project Office. Inspector Ricardo Richardson serves as the Officer-in-Charge, Police Division, Centreville (Farm Road) Urban Renewal Project Office. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)