As
we strive to enhance the quality of life in Butler County by reducing crime and
the fear of crime, the role of Crime Prevention becomes more inherent. All
community education and prevention activities are handled by the Crime
Prevention Unit. The phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”
is more than just a slogan. Crime Prevention is everybody’s business! The
citizens knowledge of ways to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of
crime, as well as their responsibility to their community, makes Crime
Prevention a cost effective crime fighting technique. This can be accomplished
through community education.
Public
awareness is another strategy utilized by the Crime Prevention Unit. Trough a
number of avenues, the citizens are made aware of crime problems in their
community as well as the services available to them trough the Butler County
Sheriff’s Office. Appearing at various county-wide fairs and festivals, the
Mobile Education/Situation Unit proved an invaluable tool.
Neighborhood Watch programs can effectively decrease crime. The Crime Prevention Unit facilitates Neighborhood Watch programs in the township areas of Butler County. Teaching neighbors how to look out for themselves and each other is the main goal of this program. Through Neighborhood Watch residents learn how to be the eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Office and they also learn how to report suspicious activities to the Sheriff’s Dispatch Unit. There are over 100 Watch Units in Butler County and approximately eleven (11) new ones were formed in the year 2004.
