Neighborhood Watch

Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program joining citizens and law enforcement, with the citizens keeping a trained eye and ear on their communities to make them safe. The program, sponsored by the National Sheriff’s Administration (NSA), took off quickly: in just ten years, 12 percent of the population was involved in a Neighborhood Watch, according to NSA.

HOW TO START A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM

Starting a neighborhood watch program in your community can strengthen the bonds among its members and make it a safer place to live. You can start a neighborhood watch program in your community, but it’s going to take a little bit of organization. Here’s how start a neighborhood watch program in your community:

  1. Build a group. You’re going to need to form a group of committed members of your local. Ask around. Talk to your friends, neighbors, and local law enforcement for willing participants.
  2. Conduct a committee meeting. The role of the committee will be to make a draft of specific issues that affect the community. Defining your areas problems will help you come up with solutions. Meetings will also be a chance to establish means of communication such as telephone numbers, e-mail, etc.
  3. Establish boundaries. Figure out the precise perimeters the group will cover and where the responsibilities of each community member lay.
  4. Post signs. Distribute flyers and other neighborhood watch materials and literature around the area. This informs community members about upcoming meetings and serves as a warning to potential perpetrators.
  5. Consult the experts. Local public safety officials are tackling the issues that face your community on a daily basis. They can provide you with hints and suggestions to help you conduct your meetings, tell you what to look for, and what to do when you find it.
  6. Register your Neighborhood Watch program. USA On Watch is a websites designed for local neighborhood watch programs and provides resources and discussions that can help you improve your program.

For more information contact your Sheriff’s Department at (209) 874-2349.

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