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When large groups of people live together, disagreements and challenges are bound to arise. But, when the people living in such communities work together, they can create an environment where such problems are minimized. Residents can work together to achieve the same goals of safety and unity. This article will show you various ways communities can stay safe and thrive in 2024.
Appreciate Local Law Enforcement
Members of your local law enforcement deserve your thanks. Although you are not obligated to thank them, there are various reasons why appreciating a police officer can provide members of your community comfort as you step out of your front door. Police officers show up at a moment’s notice and are there for people of their community, even when the circumstances are unclear. Not only do they serve to maintain law and order and protect lives, but they also take roles as mediators, medical care providers, counselors, and even social workers in some cases.
Seeing the role that police officers play in our communities, it would be great to appreciate them. One of the ways to do this is by simply saying “thank you for your service” when you see them. Your community can even make it more special by organizing an awards ceremony for local law enforcement. According to EDCO.com, a supplier of recognition awards, “When it comes to police recognition awards, the more personalized and unique, the better. Some police officer award ideas are heart of gold award, team unification award, officer of the year award, officer of the month award, guardian of the city award, and veteran officer award. Others are crisis management award, greatest mentor award, and community engagement award.” Members of your community have a lot of award titles to choose from. All you need to do is come together and plan for such an event.
Create Opportunities for Community Engagement
Communities that support engagement among their members thrive better than those that don’t. Create opportunities for residents to serve on the homeowners and condo community boards. If people want to become active by helping with beautification projects or other kinds of projects, don’t dissuade them. The goal is to get members more involved because it directly impacts the community’s overall success.
To achieve community engagement, you need the right tactics. One of the strategies to consider is opening a platform where members of your community can interact with each other and post updates for others to see. You can do this on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. But if your community members are not comfortable with the influx of ads, behavioral targeting, and other distractions on such platforms, you can consider apps such as Nextdoor, Vibemap, Meetup, OneRoof, and Neighbors By Ring.
If you feel overwhelmed by your options for a community platform and aren’t sure which to choose, follow the following steps. First, you and others in the neighborhood should clearly define the goals for building the community. With your goals in mind, you can look at the functionalities of the available platforms and determine which one best suits your community goals and convenience.
Practice Active Bystander Intervention
The bystander effect is when the presence of other people dissuades someone from intervening in an emergency or crime such as an assault. It suggests that when there are more bystanders witnessing a crime, it becomes less likely for any of them to assist a person in distress. Sometimes, people don’t act because they see such crimes or incidents so frequently that they become immune to their occurrence around them. In other cases, people don’t take personal responsibility because they assume someone else is already helping out. The bystander effect can also occur due to fear of legal consequences or concern that intervening could put a bystander in danger.
To have a safe and healthy community, residents must learn to take action and not just watch when someone else is being harassed or assaulted. Don’t expect others to help; be that person who acts on your instinct to ensure a victim’s safety. Once one person takes the initiative, others are likely to join in. You can even be an influencer and ask specific people around you to do specific things if you need assistance. You may not know people by name, but you can single them out by distinguishing features such as their colors or their outfits. When you ask someone directly, they will likely feel a shared responsibility and move to action. Remember, a simple act of kindness can go a long way in saving someone in distress. Empathize with the victim and imagine that it is someone you love.
