'Why this Page is Important to Your Community'
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH communities, where dedicated, enthusiastic residents have been trained to notice suspicious activities and report them, not only to law enforcement officials, but also to each other. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH is, after all, hardly a new idea; in fact, it is based on one of the oldest and simplest conceptsknown to man—neighbor helping neighbor. And when neighbors get together and cooperate with law enforcement, crime CAN be reduced.
Alert program participants in communities across the country are making things hard for potential criminals by:
• Arranging for home security inspections by crime prevention officers to identify security vulnerabilities;
• Upgrading locks, security hardware, and lighting; and installing alarms when security inspections show particular
hazards; • Training family members to keep valuables secure and to lock doors and windows when leaving home; it is a good
practice to keep doors locked whether anyone is at home or not;
• Asking neighbors to watch for suspicious activity when the house is vacant;
• Marking valuable property with an identifying number (Operation I.D.) to discourage theft and help law enforcement
agencies identify and return lost or stolen property;
• Encouraging home builders to use effective door and window locks and to provide outside lighting for all new home and
apartment construction;
• Organizing block parent and block WATCH groups to assist children, the elderly, and other especially vulnerable persons
if they appear to be distressed, in danger, or lost;
• Meeting in neighborhood groups with trained crime prevention officers to discuss needs and crime prevention strategies;
• Developing neighborhood “fan” or telephone tree systems for quickly alerting each other about criminal activity in the
area;
• Encouraging the development of signals for use in adjacent residences when someone needs help;
• Arranging for ongoing programs where crime prevention experts can present home and neighborhood security tips at
regularly scheduled meetings.
• Obtaining and studying informative materials from the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National Crime Prevention
Council, and local agencies;
• Identifying the area’s participation with decals and metal road signs warning, “NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH – our neighbors are watching to report suspicious activity to our law enforcement agency and to our Neighborhood watch program. ( Neighborhood Watch Online)”