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Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town
Watch, Apartment Watch, Crime Watch -- no matter what it's
called -- this is one of the most effective and least costly
answers to crime. Watch groups are a foundation of
community crime prevention, they can be a stepping stone to
community revitalization.
Phase One: Getting Started -- Meetings, Block Captains and
Maps
Form a small planning
committee of neighbors to discuss needs, the level of
interest, possible challenges, and the Watch concept.
Contact the local police or sheriffs' department, or
local crime prevention organization, to discuss Neighborhood
Watch and local crime problems. Invite a law enforcement
officer to attend your meeting.
Publicize your
meeting at least one week in advance with door-to-door
fliers and follow up with phone calls the day before.
Select a meeting place that is accessible to people
with disabilities.
Hold an initial meeting to
gauge neighbors' interest; establish purpose of program; and
begin to identify issues that need to be addressed. Stress
that a Watch group is an association of neighbors who look
out for each other's families and property, alert the police
to any suspicious activities or crime in progress, and work
together to make their community a safer and better place to
live.
Phase Two: When
the neighborhood decides to adopt the Watch Idea, elect a
chairperson.
Ask for block captain
volunteers who are responsible for relaying information to
members on their block, keeping up-to-date information on
residents, and making special efforts to involve the
elderly, working parents, and young people. Block captains
also can serve as liaisons between the neighborhood and the
police and communicate information about meetings and crime
incidents to all residents.
Establish a
regular means of communicating with Watch memberse.g.,
newsletter, telephone tree, e-mall, fax, etc.
Prepare a neighborhood map showing names, addresses, and
phone numbers of participating households and distribute to
members. Block captains keep this map up to date, contacting
newcomers to the neighborhood and rechecking occasionally
with ongoing participants.
With guidance from a
law enforcement agency, the Watch trains its members in home
security techniques, observation skills and crime reporting.
Residents also learn about the types of crime that affect
the area.
If you are ready to post Neighborhood
Watch signs, check with law enforcement to see if they have
such eligibility requirements as number of houses that
participate in the program. Law enforcement may also be able
to provide your program with signs. If not, they can
probably tell you where you can order them.
Organizers and block captains must emphasize that Watch
groups are not vigilantes and do not assume the role of the
police. They only ask neighbors to be alert, observant, and
caringand to report suspicious activity or crimes
immediately to the police.
The Watch concept is
adaptable. There are Park Watches, Apartment Watches, Window
Watches, Boat Watches, School Watches, Realtor Watches,
Utility Watches, and Business Watches. A Watch can be
organized around any geographic unit.
Tips for Success
Hold regular meetings to help residents
get to know each other and to collectively decide upon
program strategies and activities.
Consider linking with an existing organization, such as a
citizens' association, community development office,
tenants' association, housing authority.
Canvas door-to-door to recruit members.
Involve everyone --young and old, single and married,
renter and homeowner.
Gain support from the police or sheriffs' office.
This is critical to a Watch group's credibility. These
agencies are the major sources of information on local crime
patterns, home security, other crime prevention education
and crime reporting.
Get the information out quickly. Share all kinds of news
-- quash rumors.
Gather the facts about crime in your neighborhood. Check
police reports, do victimization surveys, and learn
residents' perceptions about crime. Often residents'
opinions are not supported by facts, and accurate
information can reduce fear of crime.
Physical conditions like abandoned cars or overgrown
vacant lots contribute to crime. Sponsor cleanups, encourage
residents to beautify the area, and ask them to turn on
outdoor lights at night.
It's essential to celebrate the success of the effort and
recognize volunteers' contributions through such events as
awards, annual dinners, and parties. To help meet community
needs, Neighborhood Watches can sponsor meetings that
address broader issues such as drug abuse, gangs,
self-protection tactics, isolation of the elderly, crime in
the schools and rape prevention.
Don't forget events like National Night Out or a potluck
dinner that gives neighbors a chance to get together. Such
items as pins, t-shirts, hats, or coffee mugs with the
group's name also enhance identity and pride.
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