“This Terni summer has seen, in addition to the increase in temperatures, an increase in vandalism and thefts both in commercial activities in the center and in apartments, especially in the suburbs. Between break-ins in commercial businesses in the center, sometimes even repeated several times in the same business, thefts in inhabited homes, not least the recent ones in the Gabelletta neighborhood, are causing fear and concern in the city.
Very often the neighborhoods that are most affected are those on the outskirts where, due to force majeure, there is less police presence in the area, in this case Terni Nord between Borgo Rivo -Gabelletta and Cesi, in fact, only in the period between May and August, numerous thefts in private homes were counted. It is clear that these facts denounce a security alarm, which, together with the social one, cannot be ignored and on which there is no need for instrumental controversy but seriousness and the ability to intervene also on the part of the Municipal Administration.
Together with the public safety bodies, the only ones called to intervene in this matter, it is necessary to think about extraordinary tools; therefore, in the next city council meeting, I will ask to promote, within the provincial committee for public order and safety, the drafting of an ad hoc regulation in order to start the experimentation and organization of neighborhood watch groups.
Citizens organized in neighborhood groups, in turn coordinated by a coordinator who will constitute a general coordination, who, after training, will collaborate with the Municipality and the police by reporting suspicious presences and episodes of petty crime observed while walking in their neighborhood. Reports of anomalous behavior, in a first phase, can be reported on WhatsApp and then reach the municipal police on a dedicated line. Subsequently, if the project determines satisfactory results, more effective technological tools can be implemented with the funds of the Urban Agenda. Some experiences in other Municipalities have shown that by using this active citizenship tool, a decrease in thefts and street crimes is achieved, as well as an improvement in citizen participation”.
This article is originally published on ternitoday.it/
