Date: 01.01.2010
Damansara Jaya residents crank it up a notch with community policing
By CHRISTINA LOW, Syndicated from The Star
Friday December 11, 2009 - CRIME rate had certainly dropped in Damansara Jaya since the residents implemented their own security scheme nine years ago with regular patrolling.
In December 2008, they took a bolder step by blocking off some roads after complaints of robbery and snatch thefts in the neighbourhood.
Damansara Jaya Residents and Owners Association (DJROA) chairman Yew Cheng Hoe said the decision to close some of the roads did not take off smoothly at first.
However, after working closely with the local council and submitting the plans, they managed to do so.
Hoe was speaking during the launch of the DJROA’s Community Policing scheme aimed at complementing the existing security scheme.
Timely: Nik Nazmi (right) who is also the Seri Setia assemblyman launching the Community Policing scheme while other guests look on. At present, residents in Damansara Jaya pay about RM60 for the gated and guarded concept in their area according to zones.
DJROA had divided the area into four zones, Jalan SS22 (zone A and B) Jalan SS22A (zone C), Jalan SS22/39 and Jalan SS22/37 (zone D).
Hoe said with the community policing scheme, police officers would be patrolling the neighbourhood together with the residents.
“This is not only to bring down the crime rate but also to allow residents to get to know each other better,” said Hoe.
He added that the police officers would also be guiding and teaching the residents the do’s and dont’s involved in patrolling.
Residents Ronald Ng and John Chen said the move was a good way of getting to know one’s neighbour.
“Many of us do not bother to know much about our neighbours until something bad happens in the area,” said Ng.
Also present at the launch was Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who launched the scheme by handing out vests to heads of each DJROA zone.
