The Leeton Neighbourhood Watch committee will be focusing on those three areas this year and has some big plans in place. 

Committee chairman Mark Norvall said the group would be instigating change.org petitions calling on magistrates to impose tougher sentencing for domestic violence offenders and doing more to protect victims. 

“We hear too many stories of offenders out on bail and that’s when the buggers are hurting people,” he said. 

“It’s wrong and we plan to do something about it. 

“We know it’s a lot that we’ve bitten off, but we’ve got a lot of people in our town that are committed to the cause.” The former Leeton Domestic Violence Group will now come under Neighbourhood Watch as a sub-committee. 

“We want to provide victim support and help them through these situations right from going to the police, getting AVOs and all of that sort of thing,” Mr Norvall said. 

“By focusing on these three issues of domestic violence, drugs and mental health we think we can make real progress because in many cases they are all intertwined.”

The committee has also partnered with the White Ribbon initiative that creates awareness of domestic violence. It will also aim to provide more education and be an advocate for these issues at a local level in Leeton shire. 

In Queensland police are now working with perpetrators of domestic violence in an effort to stop abuse before it happens. 

Known as the vulnerable person unit, Mr Norvall was hopeful it was an idea NSW Police could implement. 

“I would certainly support that,” he said. “Having the abuse not happen is obviously what we all want. 

“It’s better for the victims and society as a whole. If police can work with perpetrators that would only be a positive.”

Neighbourhood Watch will meet on March 7 in the library’s yellow room at 7pm. New members are welcome and be part of the projects.