If the place where you grew up is like many family-oriented neighborhoods in this country, then you might remember the ubiquitous \Neighborhood Watch"" signs that are posted in residential areas across the country. While the specificity of the programs differs by municipality or locality, one thing unites all the Neighborhood Watch programs: They give residents an opportunity to actively participate in deterring crime and theft in their own communities.
Recently, Central Campus Community Officer Kathern Paige of the UW Police Department had the idea to launch a similar type of program for the UW-Madison community. The program, called Badger Watch, implements volunteers who contribute to promoting safety and preventing loss around campus.
""I started thinking about proactive things I could do to try to cut the crime on central campus with regards to the thefts of wallets and purses, and backpacks and computers,"" she said.
One of the proactive things being done, for example, is having Badger Watch volunteers remind students and faculty of the risks they may incur when they are spotted leaving their personal possessions vulnerable to theft.
Donna Ford, the building manager at Bascom Hall, said when a member of the UW-Madison community is a potential target of on-campus crime, a Badger Watch volunteer may politely inform them by leaving a tag behind.
Some tags read, ""If I were a thief I would have your purse right now,"" and ""Your computer was left on and I can access your files.""
Bascom Hall is one of the first buildings on campus to take part in the pilot program. Ford summated Badger Watch's objective by saying, ""We are trying to make people aware that you are vulnerable.""
Badger Watch does not limit itself simply to the volunteers who are registered with the program.
""Badger eyes are everywhere,"" Paige said. ""We are all looking out for each other and we are not going to let people come and steal our things.""
Riding high on the initial success of the program, the UW Police look to expand the program to cover all buildings on campus. To accomplish this goal, officer Paige said even more student volunteers are needed.
For more information regarding Badger Watch volunteer positions, contact Paige at (608) 262-4524 or e-mail her at Paige@wisc.edu.
