Neighborhood Watch

Getting A Neighborhood Watch Started
An individual, community organization, or law enforcement agency can get a local Watch started by:

• Holding a meeting to talk about crime problems and see if there's enough interest to organize a Watch.
• Arrange for local law enforcement professionals to train neighbors in home security, crime patterns, what to watch for and how to report it.
• Select an overall coordinator and block captains to organize volunteers and establish effective communications.
• Sign up volunteers, including renters and homeowners, new residents, the elderly, working parents, young people ... just about everybody can help.
• With at least 50% of the households signed up, you can probably get Watch signs put up by your local government or law enforcement agency.

A Typical Neighborhood Watch Program Would Include:

• Regular meetings to keep everybody organized.
• Volunteers patrolling the neighborhood, on foot or in cars, to spot and report any problems.
• Regular communications, such as fliers, newsletters, or paper or electronic bulletin board messages.
• Special events to keep members interested and active, including helpful seminars, block parties, neighborhood clean-ups and tournaments.
• Special safety programs to meet your community's special needs, like a block parent program to help children during emergencies.

What A Neighborhood Watch Does
The typical Watch involves three ways to make your neighborhood safer:

• Residents mark valuable items with an identifying number that discourages theft and helps the police track down stolen articles.
• Proven techniques are used to make homes safer.
• Neighbors watch over each other and the neighborhood, noting and reporting anything unusual or suspicious to the local authorities.
  • Screams or calls for help
  • Someone looking into cars or homes
  • A stranger removing items from unoccupied homes or closed businesses
  • Vehicles cruising slowly or without lights
  • Anyone being forced into a vehicle
  • A stranger stopping to talk to a child

To Help Law Officers Help Stop Crime, Watch Volunteers

• Call 911 or other local emergency number
• Quickly explain what happened
• Give your name and address
• Describe the suspect's gender and race, age, height, weight, hair color, clothes, and distinguishing features like facial hair, scars, accent
• If a vehicle is involved, report the color, make, model year, license plate and distinguishing features, like bumper stickers

Click here for a brochure detailing how to start your own Neighborhood Watch Program.