Pam Lobwein started Harrisville’s first Neighbourhood Watch group. Harrisville Police Station Sergeant Jesse Shaw presented her with a certificate of appreciation for the decades spent keeping an eye on Harrisville.
Harrisville’s Neighbourhood Watch President Pam Lobwein (third from left) with some of her strongest supporters, from left, Senior Constable Andrew Conway, Sergeant Nadine Webster, Pam Lobwein, Senior Constable Phil Ortlipp, Sergeant Nick Snell, Sergeant Jesse Shaw and Queensland Police administrator Libby Norgrove.
THIRTY-five years ago Pam Lobwein door knocked in Harrisville hoping to find people willing to form a Neighbourhood Watch.
Quite a few did and on August 7, 1990 Harrisville had a Neighbourhood Watch group.
Last week police officers from multiple districts turned up at a 35th anniversary event planned by Pam, their attendance confirmation of the respect they have for the tenacious Purga resident.
The event was held on August 7, the same date it started, and it was held inside the Harrisville School of Arts Hall.
Pam has volunteered time to ‘the watch’ for decades and collected a lot of memorabilia along the way.
There were two and a half tables full of things she’d collected over the years.
Pens, mugs and keepsakes with the Neighbourhood Watch logo collected over the years were on display.
“I had items I’d collected on display because I have been to a lot of conferences where memorabilia is given away,” she said.
“I have stainless steel drink containers, coffee cups, fridge magnets, bags and pens.”
Even the stage was used to display Pam’s Neighbourhood Watch collectibles.
“I also had corflute covered in different types of stickers from sponsors that used to sponsor Neighbourhood Watch,” she said.
“There were also about 15 different bags as well.”
The event was a busy one, the Harrisville School of Arts Hall was filled with Neighbourhood Watch members and not just Harrisville’s.
“Members from Boonah and Riverview’s Neighbourhood Watch came and helped out,” Pam said.
“Students from local schools visited and the CWA made the morning tea for us.”
Local police were there too, Senior Constable Andrew Conway from Boonah Police Station, Officer in Charge of Ipswich Crime Prevention Unit Nadine Webster and Harrisville Police Station Sergeant Jesse Shaw showed up.
Even Senior Constable Phil Ortlipp from Kalbar Police Station and Sergeant Nick Snell from Yamanto Police Station showed up in support of Harrisville’s anniversary event.
“A further four or five police officers who used to police in Harrisville were here,” she said.
“So were [Deputy mayor] Duncan McInnes from Scenic Rim Council and Jacob Madsen from Ipswich Council.”
When Pam became involved with the Neighbourhood Watch movement, she was motivated by the steady flow of people enjoying a rural lifestyle while travelling to the cities for work.
During the day, empty properties became easy prey for criminals and the Neighbourhood Watch meant people looked out for each other.
Thirty-five years later not much has changed and the anniversary is a reminder of the importance of community cohesion.
