Stephen McPartland MP was very pleased to be a judge of a couple of the many competitions at the Stevenage Dog Watch Carnival Day. Stephen said, "I thoroughly enjoyed the day and am pleased to be associated with this great organisation. I think it is a fantastic initiative that helps tackle crime by providing a great partnership between the police and the local community."
The Stevenage Dog Watch scheme is in its second year and was the first of its kind in Hertfordshire. It aims to encourage dog walkers to report suspicious incidents to police and also to report environmental issues to the council. It has been developed with the help of Neighbourhood Watch and members get regular updates on incidents of note as well as crime prevention advice.
Stephen added, "I would encourage anyone with a dog to have a look at the website www.stevenagedogwatch.org and begin to take part."
Sarah Shelrick, who is the Dog Watch Co-Ordinator, said "I was very pleased with the turnout and how the event went. Dog Watch is growing and I am so pleased with the interest which people are showing; we now have over 900 members. I would like to thank Stephen McPartland for judging some classes and also Assistant Chief Constable Steve Divine and Detective Superintendent Jane Swinburne who also did some judging. And everyone else who made it the best event ever."